European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Jumps out of shadows to shatter oldest Mark Mike Powell prepares to land farther from the Takeoff Board than anyone Ever has. By Enrico Jacomini Tokyo apr Mike Powell soared through the muggy air at the Tokyo National stadium darkened by Black rain Clouds and it was like a Flash of Light. He went and went and went. And when he landed it was there a a world Long jump record of 29 feet 4% inches. Powell Rose to his feet raised his fists High in the air to a cheering crowd As if to shake off the memories which had haunted him for 10 years a Carl Lewis and Bob Beamon. A a it a just unbelievable a Powell said. A ttys the greatest thrill in my life. I knew i could make it. Something went wrong on every jump but then All of a sudden everything went smooth. Quot i predicted this morning that 1 would go 8.95 meters 29-4vz. 1 called it. 1world track dedicate this to my mom and my it was not just a world record erasing the oldest one in track nor just a world championship Gold medal. It was a new life. A regeneration As a Winner. For 10 years Lewis had won. His string of 65 wins weighed on Powell like a curse. Lewis would jump Only in a few important meets and win. Everyone was waiting for Lewis to break Beamons world record one Day. Lewis kept on talking about jumping 29 feet. Powell was ignored. But Powell hit magic Friday at the world track and Field championships and he became the King. He took the Gold everyone thought belonged to Lewis and which Lewis had apparently won once again. For it was Lewis again who Vyas leading. A first jump 28-5%, then a foul then two wind aided jumps 28-1l-Yt and 292%, beyond Beamons record. The 27-year-old Powell was again struggling. A bad Start with 25-9%, then 28- a 27-2% and a foul. It was a Good jump but a foul. He Knelt on the plastic surface and argued with the judges claiming it was Good. And then walked away angered. Again trailing. But the clock turned to 7 09 . And the hour struck for Powell. He walked around holding his hands up As if in prayer before storming Down the runway. And when he hit the Sandpit he had changed history. A i knew it was far and i knew it would be close to Carl. When 1 looked at it 1 thought it might be a world record. In a living a dream. The runway is so fast honestly i thought King Carl would beat me on the sixth jump a Powell said. Lewis had two tries left. When he the stars and stripes August 31,1991 Page 26 jumped Powell sat holding his right hand up to his heart. Lewis got 29-1% and 29 for the greatest sequence Ever. A but Mike had the one jump a Lewis said. As Powell hugged the judges and jumped around acknowledging the cheering crowd Lewis wiped tears from eyes and walked away. Larry Myricks finished third in Dan of Brien won the decathlon for the american teams eighth Gold in the championships. His Victory gave the United states an 8-7 Lead Over the soviet Union in Gold medals and 20-19 Lead Over the soviets in Overall medals. Obrieny a total of 8,812 Points was the third highest Ever for the decathlon and an american record. He broke the Mark of 8,634 set by Bruce Jenner in the 1976 olympics in Montreal the last time an american won the event in a major International meet. Daley Thompson of Britain set the world record of 8,847 in the 1984 olympics in los Angeles. Michael Smith was second Friday with 8,549 Points a Canadian National record and Christian Schenk of Germany third with 8,394. Of Brien needed to run the 1,500 meters the last event of the Competition in 4 minutes 32.14 seconds for a world record. But he could do no better than 4 37.50 on a track soaked by a driving rain before the race. In other events Katrin Krabbe of Germany became the first double Gold medal Winner of the championships dominating the women a 200 meters in 22.09 seconds against a Strong headwind and rain. It was an exact replica of the finish of the 100 for the first four places. American Gwen Torrence had a Strong finish to take the Silver medal in 22.16, knocking favorite Merlene Ottey of Jamaica into third with a time of 22.21. Irina Privalova of the soviet Union was fourth in 22.28. Ottey was in second place most of the Way but Torrence passed her in the final strides just As she did in the 100, the loss snapped Ottey a winning Streak in the finals of the 200 at 36. Liz Mccolgan captured Britain a first Gold of the meet leading the women a 10,000 from Start to finish in 31 14.31. Lyudmila Naro Chilenko of the soviet Union took the women a 100 hurdles in 12.59. Gail Devers Roberts of the United states finished second in 12.63.inside sports pfc Central preview Vikings no. 1 a Page 22 Connors spins magic at open a Page 25 braves win up Lead to 2 games a Page 26 no. 1 seminoles look it against by a Page 26 Powell catches Beamon off guard Miami apr Bob Beumon was caught by Surprise. Not so much that his Long jump record had been broken but by the the Guy who broke it. Quot i was a Little confused with the person that had set the record Mike Powell a Beamon said. �?~1 was thrown off by not hearing the other name which would be Carl Lewis the most logical person that would either duplicate or surpass the performance. A it was a Surprise that Mike pulled one through. Giving it All to As 1 describe him now As the a great a Beamon whose 1968 record jump of 29 feet 2>/2 inches was broken Friday by Powell in Tokyo made his remarks during an interview with Dallas radio station Klif. A i am extremely Happy and hoping that he will Lake every advantage of those things that will probably come to him As being a Champion and a world record Holder and enjoying them and doing some great things in life a Beamon said. He did not seem saddened that his record a the longest standing Mark in track and Field a had been broken. A a in a extremely Happy that after 23 years we have a great athlete that has done so a Beamon said. Beamon was 22 on oct. 18, 1968, when he set the record at the olympics in Mexico City. Before Beamon american Ralph Boston and soviet Igor Ter Ovanesyan had shared the record at 27-4
