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DOHA, Qatar (AP):

Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell recovered from a poor start to win the 100 metres yesterday with a wind-aided time of 9.81 seconds at the inaugural Diamond League meet in Doha.

Powell was slow out of the blocks and stepped out of his lane three times before blowing past the field near the end. He ran an even faster wind-aided 9.75 in his qualifying heat and said that time should be a warning to his rivals.

"I'm satisfied. It was the first race of the season," Powell said. "It's the first I've opened so well in my career so I'm happy. The 9.75 should open a few eyes."

The win was made easier by the fact that fellow Jamaican and Olympic champion, Usain Bolt, and Tyson Gay of the United States skipped the meet, but Powell said he looks forward to facing his main rivals later in the season.

"This year will be very exciting because all the guys are waiting to run against each other," Powell said. "Tonight I did well so the next race should be a lot of better."

Asked how he can beat Bolt, Powell smiled and said "Just run, just run. That is what I have to do."

Jamaica's Michael Frater (9.94) and Lerone Clarke (9.98) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Powell's compatriot, Kerron Stewart, gave a powerful display in the women's 200m, topping the field with a wind-aided 22.34 seconds. She led a Jamaican quinella, as Sherone Simpson finished second in 22.64.

The Cayman Islands' Cydonie Mothersill, 22.66, separated the Jamaican contingent in the field as Sheri-Ann Brooks, 22.73, ended fourth and Anneisha Mclaughlin, 22.94, was fifth.

Americans set the tone in many of the other elite events, with Lolo Jones and Bershawn Jackson winning their hurdles events and short sprint specialist Allyson Felix taking the 400m. Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put with a season best throw of 21.82, which also was a stadium record.

Williams-Mills third

Felix ran a well-measured race and burst past Jamaica's Novlene Williams-Mills in the final 30 metres, to win comfortably in 50.15 seconds. Amantle Montsho of Botswana streaked past the finish line second in 50.34, while Williams-Mills timed 50.50 for third.

Britain's Olympic champion, Christine Ohuruogu, was fourth in 50.88, while Jamaica's Olympic silver medallist, Shericka Williams, faded in the last 100 metres to finish sixth in 51.11. Another Jamaican, Christine Day, was eighth in 52.95.

In the women's 100 hurdles, Jones held off a challenge from Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada to win with a time of 12.63. Jones also had a slow start and clipped the first two hurdles before taking control of the race, beating Lopes-Schliep by .04 seconds.

"I hit two hurdles, so midway through the race I said there is no way I'll win," Jones said. "Then I started pulling things together. I was completely shocked I won. That I was able to get back in control, I was really proud of myself."

Redemption

Jamaica's Delloreen Ennis-London had a slow start and never figured in the competitive event, placing sixth in 12.75 seconds.

Jackson, the Olympic bronze medallist, used a strong finish down the stretch to clock 48.66, beating Clement by .16 seconds. Olympic champion Angelo Taylor finished a disappointing fourth, while Jamaica's Isa Phillips was sixth in 50.25.

It was redemption of sorts for Jackson after his last trip to Doha at the World Indoors ended in frustration. He entered that event as the favourite in the 400 but faded after tangling with another runner in the final bend. He left the field pounding the walls as he passed by reporters.

This time, he crossed the finish line with a smile and raised his arms as he made his victory lap - and then predicted he'll be doing a lot more of those this season.

"I want to be No. 1, I want to win all the Diamond League races," the American said. "Today, because of the wind, we could not get better times. But it was nice to beat the Olympic champion."