Asafa Powell took on the world's fastest man with every intention of beating him to the finish line.

Usain Bolt just couldn't catch up in time.

Powell capitalized on Bolt's weak start and edged the world record-holder by one-hundredth of a second, leading from start to finish in the 100 meters at the DN Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden, on Tuesday.

Powell, the former world record-holder, won their highly anticipated rematch in 9.88 seconds. Bolt, who was slow out of the blocks, nearly caught his fellow Jamaican at the finish line. Third went to Norwegian Jaysuma Saidy Ndure in 10.06.

"I was really happy with the race," Powell said. "My goal was to win. My start was quick and fast. And the speed stayed with me through the finish.

"I'm really looking forward to the Olympics."

The win was a measure of revenge for Powell, after losing to his close friend Bolt at Jamaica's Olympic trials last month. Bolt set the world record of 9.72 in New York on May 31, breaking Powell's mark of 9.74.

It was Powell's third straight win at the Olympic Stadium. Last year, he won in 10.04. In 2006, he set the stadium record of 9.86.

Bolt was somber.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "My start was not good enough. That was the key tonight. I was also disturbed by the false start. I could not focus at 100 percent."

Earlier, Dayron Robles missed his world 110-meter hurdles record by just 0.04 seconds, winning the race in 12.91.

The Cuban, who set the world record last month in Ostrava, Czech Republic, beat David Oliver (13.04) and Aries Merritt (13.33), into second and third, respectively.

For setting a new Olympic Stadium record, Robles earned a one-carat diamond worth US$10,000.

Robles' time is the fourth fastest in history, tied with Colin Jackson of Britain. China's Olympic and world champion Liu Xiang ran a 12.88 and Dominique Arnold of the US clocked 12.90 in 2006.

Yelena Isinbayeva and Meseret Defar of Ethiopia also set stadium records.

Isinbayeva cleared 4.85 meters to win the pole vault and her second diamond in Stockholm. The Russian broke her world record in Rome last week with a 5.03 effort.

Defar missed fellow Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba's world 5,000 record by 1.45 seconds, winning the race in 14:12.60 for another stadium record. Dibaba set the world record in Oslo, Norway, last month.

Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner won his third straight 400, but failed to improve the stadium record he set last year. The American eased up near the finish and crossed in 44.29. It was 0.39 off his meet record that earned him a diamond last year.

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 24, 2008)