Injured Powell out Sydney grand prix meet

Jamaica's Asafa Powell (2nd L) runs to win the men's 200m event at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai Sep. 28, 2007. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

BEIJING, Feb. 13 -- A Cut knee has forced 100 metres world record holder Asafa Powell to pull out of this weekend's grand prix meet in Sydney.

Powell received stitches to his knee after he tripped while running up stairs at his home in Jamaica late last week.

"Once a big guy like me falls on my knee it's not going to be pretty," he said Tuesday.

Powell said the injury had briefly halted his training programme but was not serious and would not effect his preparations for this year's Beijing Olympics.

"Hopefully it's going to be better soon," he said. "Now is not a bad time to get (the injury) because this week is an easy training week so it's not that bad."