I don't even remember what I wanted to write about today. I am sure I had something planned. Something ticked me off, I'm sure, but after watching Asafa Powell and Michael Frater run the 100-metre dash in Lausanne yesterday, I can't seem to remember what it was.

Asafa Powell has been an enigma over the years. To me, he is one of the most talented sprinters in history. If you ask me, Asafa is the one athlete who I feel can consistently challenge the other-worldly talents of Usain Bolt. He is the master of his technique. but for very glaring flaws, few of them physical, he would be the greatest of all time. More sub-10 clockings than any other male sprinter in history, but he just can't seem to pull the trigger at major championships - those that he has competed in.

Asafa should have been the 100-metre world champion in 2007, yet he gave it away to Tyson Gay. One of the reasons so many people love Asafa is that he is so extremely talented. One reason why so many people don't is that he has not achieved all that he could with that talent.

Veronica Campbell-Brown, while responding to a question I asked her recently about what keeps her going, seeing that she has two Olympic titles, a World title as well as World Junior and Youth titles, said she feels like God gave her special talents and she feels He would not be pleased if she didn't maximise her accomplishments, using her special gifts.

Asafa has special talents and he should be looking to maximise, so let's hope that the world-leading 9.78s run yesterday, coming on the back of a big run to win the national championships last weekend, suggests that he is ready to deliver in a big way later this summer.

But if Asafa made me happy, Michael Frater had me at a loss for words with his personal-best 9.88 run for second. The first thing is that I see where he could have gone faster, fast enough to get 9.80 or even 9.79 yesterday. People have always doubted Frater. Some of them admitted that on my Facebook page yesterday but are now believers. They never saw him running faster than 9.9s. But as he told me just a few weeks ago, people might want limits on himself.

stronger than before

I have known Michael Frater all his life. He grew up just up the road from me in Trelawny, and I know his mom and dad very well. I have always known him to be determined and focused but sometimes it's hard to overcome obstacles that life throws at you. I have watched life throw hurdle after hurdle at this kid, and while sometimes they knock him down, he always gets back up stronger than before. He is never ready to give in. He is the Rafael Nadal of track and field.

Last weekend when he finished fifth in the men's 100m at the national championships, I saw him walking across the field in the stadium looking forlorn. He was ready to do very well at the national championships, but one of those obstacles came at him once more. He could have held on to the depression and have a horrible season from that point onwards, but look at how he has bounced back.

Ten point eight eight seconds, a personal best and one of the fastest times in the world, and became the fifth Jamaican since last year to run faster than 9.90 seconds. Frater is indeed a special talent from a very special parish in a very special country.

Congratulations to both of them, as well as to another tough competitor, Jermaine Gonzales, who also bounced back from a disappointing performance in the finals of last weekend's national championships to win in Lausanne yesterday.

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