MELBOURNE (AFP) - Jamaica celebrated a sprint double at the Commonwealth Games on Monday as Asafa Powell was crowned men’s 100 metres champion and Sheri-Ann Brooks won the women’s equivalent.

Their double was the first in the Games history for a country since the sport went metric (the first Games under the new system was in 1970) and gave Powell his first major title. He became the first Jamaican male since the great Don Quarrie in 1978 to land the title while Brooks started on what could be a long road to emulate her idol and compatriot Merlene Ottey.

Athletes’ careers can turn on luck and Powell so desperate for an individual title as the doubters grew about the fastest man in the world’s ability to master a championships and its pressures certainly had his in spades. The 23-year-old saw two of his major rivals for the title disqualified from his semi-final - including his compatriot and 2005 world silver medallist Michael Frater - for false starts and then he all but took over the lane of his neighbouring runner.

However Anson Henry did not protest and Powell was adjudged to have not impeded the Canadian. Powell brushed aside the incident declaring it was irrelevant as he was holding the gold medal in his hand and dismissed the notion he had ever been a choker. “It’s my first major title for me,” said Powell, whose brother once tried to persuade him not to take up the sport.

“People might say it was a curse and that I couldn’t do it but I proved tonight I have it in me and I have got one. I never personally thought I did lack that mentality.” Brooks won a distinctly under-par 100m women’s title which even Ottey now in her mid 40’s might well have won. “I am so happy to have won a title that Merlene won and hopefully it will be the launchpad for me,” said Brooks, who ran a personal best of 11.19 sec.

Jamaica also scored in the women’s javelin competition, where Olivia McKoy claimed the bronze medal with a throw of 58.27 metres, finishing behind Sunette Viljoen of South Africa and Laverne Eve of Bahamas.