TOKYO: Mike Powell soared from the shadows to stardom with one huge leap on Friday to shatter the oldest world record in the books and hand Carl Lewis his first defeat in s decade. Powell’s 3.95m effort in the long jump at the World Athletics Championships added five centimeters to fellow-American Bob Beamon’s “leap into the 21st century” at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 a mark which some thought would last forever.

His incredible jump capped a riveting battle of the giants with Lewis on a momentous day of athletics which saw Katrin Krabbe take gold from Merlene Oney for the second time and American Dan O’Brien come close to a decathlon world record.

But the Powell-Lewis duel topped all else two great competitors producing the best series of jumps ever on a warm evening with winds whipped up by the approach of typhoon harry.

Lewis who smashed the world 100 meters only five days earlier had looked more likely to threaten Beamon’s mark than the 27-yr-old Olympic silver medalist who has lived for so long in the shadow of the great champion.

Rising to the big occasion as always Lewis conjured up the four longest jumps of his career all over 8.80 meters including a wind-assisted 8.91 meters with his fourth leap.

Though that would not have counted as a record for a few minutes it was the longest jump ever seen.

He edged past Beamon’s record with his fourth jump assisted by a following wind of 2.9 meters ‘a second above the allowable limit of two meters a second.

But then Powell forced his way into the picture with a tremendous leap which also looked past Beamon’s record.

His initial elation turned into dejection when the judges ruled that he had overstepped the take-off board. The 27-yr-old Olympics silver medalist made no such mistake with his first attempt.

Aided by a slight following wind of 0.3 meters a second he raced down the runway took off ‘and seemed to hang in the air for an eternity before landing well in front of Beamon’s mark.

DREAM COME TRUE: Powell raced down the track back and again and then leapt up to his feet with anticipation and excitement punching the air when the distance appeared on the electronic scoreboard.

When he finally calmed down Powell told

-“”This was a dream come true. I jumped the way I had planned and it’s like living a dream.

“I treated it like « heavyweight fight” said Powell bubbling over with satisfaction. “If you are going to beat the champion you don’t do it by a split decision you have got to knock the champion out.”

“I always thought he could come from behind. Deep down I felt he could come and jump nine meters” Powell said.

IT’S KRABBE AGAIN: But as the wind stopped the train arrived and the women’s 200 meters final revenge match between German Krabbe and Jamaican Ottey took place amid a sudden downpour.

Ottey who lost a four-year unbeaten record in Tuesday’s 100 meters shock defeat lost again in the longer sprint which turned into are play of the earlier race.

Krabbe got a great start was ahead coming out of the bend and surged away from the graceful Ottey. The Jamaican failed to find her late surge and eventually fell away to be beaten by American Gwen Torrence as well.

The tall German won in 2209 seconds with Torrence in 22.16 and Ottey third in 22.21 all winning the same medals as in the 100 meters. To cap it Irina Privalova of the Soviet Union was fourth again as well.

“My plan was to run the first 100 meters as fast as possible keep my correct arm action and just go on and fly” said Krabbe who kept perfectly to her script.

Article extracted from this publication >> September 13, 1991