ROME, July 11, 2008 (AFP) - Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva set a new women's polevault world record of 5.03m at the Golden League meeting here on Friday but former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell suffered an injury scare.

Isinbayeva bettered her previous world record of 5.01m set in Helsinki in August 2005.

The Olympic and world champion, making her first appearance of the season outdoors, has now set 22 world records in the event (12 outdoor and 10 indoors).

Her latest world record comes just four weeks before the Beijing Olympics get underway and took her closer to one of her ambitions - beating Ukrainain Sergei Bubka's record of setting 35 world records in the men's polevault.

Meanwhile, Jamaican sprinter Powell felt a cramping in his groin in his 100m heat at the Olympic Stadium and then pulled out of the final as a precautionary measure, said his agent Paul Doyle.

Powell clocked 10.19sec and had led his heat before easing up in the last 30 metres.

'It's nothing serious, but he felt a cramp in his groin,' said Doyle. 'He will be back in training on Monday.'

Doyle added that Powell was due to return to the track in Stockholm on July 22.

Portugal's Francis Obikwelu made the most of Powell's problems to win the final in a time of 10.04sec.

In the 400m, Jeremy Wariner just edged out compatriot and rival LaShawn Merritt who had won their last two races including the United States' Olympic trials last week.

Wariner, the Olympic and double world champion, took victory in 44.36secs with Merritt on his shoulder at 44.37sec.

'I worked the turn better. I ran like I should have done at the trials,' said Wariner.

Merritt added: 'I started to lean a little too early. That?s OK. You live, you run, you learn. I did what I came to do. I feel good, so that?s all that matters.'

The meeting also saw the race for the end-of-season one million dollar jackpot reduced to a two-athlete race.

Spain's 100m hurdler Josephine Onyia, American 400m hurdles runner Bershawn Jackson and Saudi long jumper Hussain Al-Sabee were all beaten leaving the field open for Kenya's 800m runner Pamela Jelimo and Blanka Vlasic, the Croatian high jumper.

Jelimo won her event in 1min 55.69sec while Vlasic claimed victory with a leap of 2.00m.

Cuba's 110m hurdles world record holder Dayron Robles won his race in 13.08secs while Panama's Irving Saladino took the long jump with a leap of 8.30m.