The 24-year-old sprinter had been scheduled to represent his country in the men's 4x100 metres relay at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium but decided to withdraw as a precaution.

"I'm very sad but it was a little too cold for me," Powell said over the public address system at the 49th edition of the Mt. San Antonio College Relays.

"Although my knee has been a bit tender in training, I felt confident I would be able to run today."

Powell's manager Paul Doyle said the 100 metres world record holder would compete at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia later this month, then a season-opener in Jamaica in May.

"He's had a little bit of tenderness the past week or so in training but it's nothing really to be alarmed about," Doyle told reporters.

"He's been training really hard for the season, and it's going to be a long season so he's put in a lot of base work.

"Rather than take a chance on it, we decided to take it easy and not race today."

Powell, who twice equalled his 100 metres world record of 9.77 seconds last year, is building his season around the world championships which take place in Osaka, Japan from August 25-September 2.

Although undisputed as the number one men's sprinter, the Jamaican is yet to win a world or Olympic medal.

In the absence of Powell, American long jumper Dwight Phillips was the biggest drawcard on a chilly day at the Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The world and Olympic champion eased to victory in his discipline with a leap of 8.15 metres.

The Mt. San Antonio College Relays, first held in 1959, have consistently attracted some of the world's greatest athletes on one of the fastest all-weather tracks in the world.

Big names such as Carl Lewis and Marion Jones have been frequent visitors to the Walnut venue which has produced 14 world records.