Olympic Gold Medallist and 100m previous world record holder, Asafa Powell, right, racing onboard double Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson onboard Rumbo Almeria in Singapore Saturday 12 December. Image copyright Th. Martinez/Sea&Co/OC Events.
Olympic 4x100m gold medallist and previous 100m world record holder Asafa Powell was taken to new Extremes when he stepped onboard double-Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson's catamaran racing in the Extreme Sailing Series Asia in Singapore today, Saturday 12 December
by Lou Newlands
The 27-year-old Jamaican sprinter was a guest on Rumbo Almeria, one of six teams taking part in the second leg of the Series in Marina Reservoir, under the world's largest observation wheel, the Singapore Flyer.
"When I saw the size of his arms, I knew we had to get him to work!" laughed Robertson.
Singing, "I believe I can fly" by R Kelly, Powell was put to work winching the 60 foot high mainsail on the Extreme 40.
"It was great to have such an athelete onboard - what a runner, awesome to meet him!" said Robertson. "We could see how fit he was from the moment he got onboard so we worked him hard!"
Olympic Gold Medallist and 100m previous world record holder, Asafa Powell, second right, racing with double Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson onboard Rumbo Almeria in Singapore Saturday 12 December. Image copyright Th. Martinez/Sea&Co/OC Events.
"That was cool," said bowman Steve Mitchell. "We got him sweating, didn't let him stop from the moment he got onboard the boat. He was commando-rolling across the trampoline, from one side to the other. For one of the fastest men in the world it seemed like a bit of a laborious way to get across the boat! But he got the hang of it - he loved it, thought it was great."
The Singapore racing is the second of three showcase events in Asia, which started at the end of November with five days of racing in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. The Series will finish in Muscat, Oman 1-5 February.
Extreme Sailing Series Asia
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