Gateshead (England): Jamaican Asafa Powell equalled the men's 100 metres world record with a time of 9.77 seconds at a grand prix meeting on Sunday.
Powell set the world best in Athens in June 2005 which was matched by American Olympic and world champion Justin Gatlin in Doha on May 12 this year.
"I came out here to show them I'm back to where I started last year and I'm going to pick up this season from now on," Powell said.
The 23-year-old added: "As I said, I can run as fast as I want when I want. I told them I would do my best here and I didn't let them down.
"My coach is not all that happy because in the end I didn't do what he told me to do but I am going to work on that and come back."
Powell and co-record holder Gatlin are due to race against each other in London on July 28. It had been hoped the hotly anticipated showdown would take place at Gateshead but Gatlin pulled out last month.
The pair's last clash on the track was in London in July 2005 when Powell pulled up with a groin problem that ended his season.
Gatlin's run in Doha last month was initially given as a world record 9.76 but later rounded up when the IAAF was informed of an error in the reading of the result by the company responsible for timing at the event.
After easing through his heat on Sunday, Powell got a great start in the final and was never troubled, finishing well clear of compatriot Michael Frater in 10.06.
Britain's Dwain Chambers, making his comeback after a two-year ban for doping, was third in 10.07.
The European champion's ban for a positive test for the designer steroid THG (tetrahydrogestinone) ended last November but he was only cleared to compete on Friday by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) after repaying prize and appearance money.
Things did not go so well for Powell's Jamaican team mate Veronica Campbell in the women's 200 metres.
The Olympic champion fell to the ground with an apparent thigh injury just after the bend and had to be taken off the track in a wheelchair.
American 400 specialist Sanya Richards won the race in 22.25. Moroccan Mohamed Moustaoui pulled off a surprise win over Olympic silver medallist Bernard Lagat in the 1,500 metres, improving his personal best for victory in 3:34.40.
Lagat, who became a naturalised American two years ago, appeared to have a comfortable lead on the final lap but Moustaoui came from a distant third to catch the former Kenyan in the home straight.
World 5,000 and 10,000 metres champion Tirunesh Dibaba led an Ethiopian sweep of the top four places in the 3,000 metres with her quickest time of the season, eight minutes 42.04 seconds.
Berhane Adere was second and Dibaba's older sister Ejegayehu was third, with Mestawet Tufa finishing fourth.
Commonwealth 800 metres champion Janeth Jepkosgei ran 1:57.22 for a Kenyan record and the fastest time in the world this year.
American Christian Cantwell produced a world-leading 22.45 metres on his final attempt to beat compatriot Reese Hoffa (21.76) in the shot put.
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