Powell equals year's best for 200 metres

LONDON, June 26 (Reuters) Joint world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell equalled the year's best time for the 200 metres at the Jamaican championships.

Powell, who shares the 100m record with American Olympic and world champion Justin Gatlin, clocked 19.90 seconds to equal Wallace Spearmon's mark set at the U.S. championships.

A report on the International Association of Athletics Federations' Web site said Powell had slowed down to protect a groin injury sustained in his last run over 200m more than a year ago.

''I could not run the curve hard, I had to take it easy,'' Powell said after the race yesterday.

Sherone Simpson set a women's world leading time in the same event with a personal best of 22.00 seconds to complete a 100-200 double.

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