Asafa Powell was taken to new Extremes

8:34 AM Sat 12 Dec 2009 GMT

'Asafa Powell (Jamacia) Olympic Gold medal sprinter sailing on board Extreme 40 ' RUMBO ALMERIA' (ESP) with skipper Shirley Robertson (GBR) , double gold medalist (sailing)' Thierry Martinez

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.

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!'

'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.'

Asafa Powell (Jamacia) grinding on board Extreme 40 ' RUMBO ALMERIA' (ESP) with skipper Shirley Robertson (GBR) , double gold medalist (sailing - Thierry Martinez

Asafa Powell sailing on board Extreme 40 ' RUMBO ALMERIA' (ESP) with skipper Shirley Robertson (GBR) - Thierry Martinez

Asafa Powell (Jamacia) Gold medalist in Being in (100m relay) sailing on board Extreme 40 ' RUMBO ALMERIA' (ESP) with skipper Shirley Robertson (GBR) , double gold medalist (sailing - Thierry Martinez

by Thierry Martinez