Happy 21st Mike Powell!

One of the longer standing records in men's track and field turned 21 yesterday.  In the 1991 world championships, Mike Powell bettered Bob Beamon's legendary mark of 8.90m with a jump 8.95m (or 29ft 4 1/2in).  Powell was jumping against Carl Lewis that day, who in additional to being one of the most unimaginable douchebags of all time, was almost impossibly good at the long jump.  Going into those championships, Lewis was riding a 10 year, 65 event winning streak, and on that night he gave the best performance of his life and the best series of all time, laying down 4 absolutely massive jumps.  Powell and Lewis were clearly a class above the others, though it appears that Lewis was even another class above until Powell unloaded his world record jump in the 5th of 6 rounds. 

(Record jump footage begins about 3:20 in)

 

I love this video.  I've watched it for years for inspiration or just a happy thought.  I love the focus, determination, and concentration of Mike Powell before the jump.  He's up against a guy who he's 0-15 against, and who is having the best day of his life, but he shrugs it off, believing he's capable of more, that it's still his time and today his day.  Then after nailing the monstrous jump, there's the initial emotional outburst and excitement but having to collect himself while waiting for the measurement, the short cut out to see the stunned, nervous look on Carl Lewis' stupid ass face, and finally the roar of the crowd and celebration after the world record is confirmed.  It's just perfect.  A concise video reminder of exactly what I love about sports and why we keep going out there.  Despite what the odds may tell me, work hard, prepare, go out with the right state of mind, and something special just may be in store for me today.  I'll probably never have a Mike Powell type moment, and if I do it'll be on a vastly reduced scale, but it's still a hell of a feeling to chase.  Well done Mr. Powell.  Hope you enjoyed another year on the record books.