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INDIANAPOLIS -
Mike Powell setting the men's world long jump record at the
1991 World Outdoor Championships was honored by USA Track &
Field as the fifth-greatest moment in U.S. track
and field history in the last 25 years.
At the 1991
World Outdoor Championships in Tokyo, Japan, Powell and Carl
 Lewis did battle in what many consider to be the greatest
long jump competition in history.
Lewis wasted
no time in taking the lead in the first round with a then
Championships record leap of 8.68 meters/28 feet, 5.75
inches. Powell assumed second place in round two with a jump
of 8.54m/28-0.25, before Lewis propelled himself to a
wind-aided 8.83m/28-11.75 in the third round. Powell's
monster fourth round jump was ruled a foul shortly before
Lewis improved his lead with a stunning wind-aided jump of
8.91m/29-2.75.
In the fifth
round Powell hit the board aggressively and landed in the
pit with a new world record, having soared 8.95m/29-4.50.
Powell's effort bettered the miraculous gold medal winning
jump and previous world record of 8.90m/29-2.50 by Bob
Beamon at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.
Lewis tried
valiantly to catch Powell with his final two attempts of
8.87m/29-1.25 & 8.84m/29-0, but he fell short of Powell's
epic jump that continues to reign as the world record.
"This is a
dream come true," said Powell afterwards. "Honestly, I
thought Carl would beat me in the last jump. I have
conditioned myself for so long to see him come from behind
and beat me. I thought he would jump nine meters."
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