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Former 100 metres world record holder Asafa Powell beat current all-time number one Usain Bolt by the narrowest of margins at the Stockholm grand prix.

Powell, 25, timed 9.88 seconds to just see off a late challenge by 21-year-old Bolt, who made a dreadful start and trailed his elder rival by two metres after a third of the race.

Whilst Bolt, who timed 9.72sec to break Powell's record at the end of May in New York, did make up ground on Powell, he never threatened to beat him.

"A couple of weeks ago it was all about Usain and I was enjoying myself in the background," Powell said afterwards. "I didn't want to cause a lot of attention I just did showed the world today that Asafa Powell is still here.

"It was very important to build up the confidence by beating him today. He's got the world record, but I've run 9.74 so you've got to watch out for me.

"It was a great race and I'm very happy. If I had lost today I still would have been happy because this is my first race since I came back from my injury."

Bolt, who could well attempt the 100/200m double at the Beijing Olympics in August, had easily won their first ever confrontation at the national championships in June, timing 9.85sec to Powell's 9.97sec, though the latter was returning from injury.

Powell's win adds an interesting new dimension to the Olympic face-off, as double world champion Tyson Gay was widely expected to be Bolt's main challenger.

It was Bolt's last run before Beijing, while Powell will now face Gay at the London grand prix on Friday July 25.

In the women's race, American Lauryn Williams won in 11.10 seconds, ahead of compatriot Marshevet Hooker (11.13) and Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas (11.14).

World 500 metres champion Meseret Defar, meanwhile, did not reclaim her world record from Tirunesh Dibaba at the event in Stockholm but set the second-ever fastest time over the distance when she ran 14:12.88.

Russia's pole vault star Yelena Isinbayeva was not quite at her best on the night but easily won by clearing 4.85 metres on her second attempt before failing to clear 4.95.

Poland's Monica Pyrek, who accomplished the rare feat of beating Isinbayeva here two years ago, finished second with 4.70 ahead of her compatriot Anna Rogowska in third on 4.60.

"It was a good and fine competition, but a little cold at 4.95," said world record holder Isinbayeva, who still managed a stadium record.

With her 4.85 clearance, the Russian improved on the record she set here three years ago by six centimetres.

Croatian Blanka Vlasic won her 34th meeting in a row by clearing 2.02 in the women's high jump before failing to get over 2.05.

"I'm happy with my win but I felt a bit tired," said the world champion.

"Of course, I was expecting to jump a bit higher but I have been competing a lot lately. Now I need some rest."

Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner of the United States won the men's 400 metres in 44.29 seconds.

Ethiopia's women's Olympic 5000m champion Meseret Defar failed by just under a second to break compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba's world record, recording a time of 14min 12.32sec.

The 24-year-old's time was even more remarkable given she ran the last 3000m on her own, whereas Dibaba was aided by her sister Ejagayehu in her recordbreaking run in Oslo in June.

Sudanese prodigy Abubaker Kaki once again showed he is a real danger to reigning 800m Olympic champion Yury Borzakovsky in Beijing as the 19-year-old recently crowned world junior champion at the distance recorded the fastest time in the world this year over 1000m, though, with the windy conditions he never threatened to break Noah Ngeny's world record.

Another Olympic gold medal challenger Cuba's 110m hurdles world record holder Dayron Robles maintained his impressive set of performances this term by easing home in 12.91sec, well ahead of US champion David Oliver.

The women's long jump also produced a season's best performance from Portugal's Naide Gomes, who produced a best of 7.04 metres and set herself up nicely for the Olympics, especially as the season's other most impressive performer Ludmila Kolchanova of Russia won't be there having failed to qualify at last weekend's Russian championships.

Gomes also saw off the challenge of home darling Carolina Kluft, who could finish only third on what was a mixed night for the hosts athletes.

Stefan Holm duly won the high jump while Olympic triple jump champion Christian Olsson made his return to competition after a year out and posted a not unrespectable effort of 17m in finishing third.

However, the 28-year-old's evening turned into a miserable one as he revealed that he had pulled a thigh muscle and would miss the Olympics.

"The Olympics are gone, the whole season is gone," he said, while he also hinted that he may well retire from the sport.

There were signs though that some of the best performers this year are starting to feel weary just when it was getting to the business end of the season as Croatia high jumper Blanka Vlasic highlighted.

"I have become a little tired," said Vlasic, who still won with a height of 2.02m.

"I have competed a lot these past few weeks and I need some rest," added Vlasic, who is in line for sharing the Golden League $1million bonus with just two meets remaining in Zurich and Brussels.

EME / AFP / Eurosport