Mike Powell (again) renews talk of masters long jump WR
Mike Powell, who broke Bob Beamon’s hallowed long jump record, has been talking about a serious masters track comeback for years. Now he’s on the record at some obscure site that nobody ever visits. We learn from the IAAF: “World Long Jump record holder Mike Powell talked eloquently about his role as an IAAF Ambassador on the eve of the 6th IAAF World Youth Championships at the traditional IAAF/LOC Press conference but then dropped a gentle bombshell after he stepped down from the podium. ‘I’m aiming to compete again next year. Yes, you heard me right,’ said the affable 45-year-old American, whose 1991 World Championships winning leap of 8.95m has yet to be surpassed. Powell acknowledged that he isn’t out to challenge the current generation. . . . ‘But I’m out for the Masters over-45 world record. I’ve checked it out, 7.30m (23-11 1/2), I can do that.” In fact, it stands to Finland’s Tapani Taavitsainen at 7.27 (23-10 1/4), a mark set back in 1990.”
The story continues:
“I started doing some work on my run up a few weeks ago but my knee started hurting. In truth, I’m carrying too much weight at the moment for my joints to be comfortable with what I want to do.
“I’m about 92kg at the moment. I need to get down to around 80 or 82kg but that’s no big problem. I lose weight fairly easily, I’ve done that before, every couple of years, but I also seem to gain weight pretty quickly if I’m not paying too much attention.
“But once the weight comes off a little, I’m serious and I’ll be getting back and doing some good training.”
“The diet starts as soon as I get home after this event (the World Youth Championships). It’s just too tempting being here in Italy, with all the pasta and pizza in front of me, to start right now,” added Powell, with a broad smile on his face and the look of a man who loves his food as well as being hungry for the feeling of flying through the air again.
Powell last competed in 2003, when he was 39, and he has often expressed an interest in jumping again in the six years since he last donned his spikes in competition. He also admitted that he had to constantly fend off various challenges from the teenagers he coaches in California in the past.
Finally, he has found the lure too difficult to resist.
It is a change-of-heart from his position at the end of last year, when he attended the International Athletics Foundation Gala in Monaco last November.
Asked about the possibility of him having to knock sand out of his shoes again, he gave a wonderfully self-deprecating response. “I wear a lot of black. It’s a wonderful colour and definitely very effective in disguising the fact that I might not be in as good a shape as I like people to think I am.”
“I try to dress strategically so that I still look pretty slim but, when everything is off, it’s not a pretty sight! I’m done, that’s behind me now. I’d like to compete again but every time I start training it hurts too much,” joked Powell.
Mike turned 45 last November (see his USATF bio here). I always love to see Olympians jump back in the game, but as we saw with Edwin Moses, announcing WR intentions may not be the wisest move. I’d rather Mike just enjoy the journey and have fun. Records are great, but he should stop and smell the roses as well. We’re the roses.
Here’s Mike with wife and kids at Mt. SAC Relays in April 2007.
24 Responses
Powell the foul should just sit back and enjoy the record that he has. People still see Carl lewis as the better jumper and Powell as just lucky. I can see him now at a masters meet jumping 15 feet then blaming him comp. on why he didn’t jump well. Good luck powell it’s not as easy as it seems. p.s. you have to give up the big macs also!!!!
I am a 71 years old sprinter and I will be making my first sprint as a masters runner in the Pride meet July 18 2009. I have ran the 100 meters in the 11 second range in practice, check the results for the meet at cox statum san francisco state university.
Best Regards
Elijah Cole Jr.
I don’t know which is more ridiculous,Mike jumping 24 feet or some 71 year old who says he can run under 12 seconds
I’m an over 50 masters runner. I ran a 4:02 mile twice last week in the same practice session. When I realized how fast I had run the 1st run, of course I wanted to run it again just to make sure my watch was right. After running the same exact time, I decided to pinch myself and wouldn’t you know it I was just having a great dream! I woke up and told my wife. She said that’s nice dear, now go back to sleep!
That reminds me of when I was a new runner 30 years ago. I told one of my training partners at the “Y” I had run a lap of the 440-yard neighborhood track in 60 seconds. Ever the sceptic, he went out to measure it — 300 yards. Enough said!
I am surprised by the negative comments about Mike Powell. I worked with Mike at a Powell-Powell throw and jump camp in LA several years ago. He is an unassuming gentleman and a great guy. He was in excellent shape and looked very impressive. If serious about training, Mike will blow the record out of the water.
he insults us with how lightly he takes the feat. Think about E. Moses attempt or Roger Kingdom. He doesn’t have a sponsor footing the bills while he trains all day. He won’t blow the record out of the water. He may blow his knee out or blow chunks on the track or just blow away like the others. P.s. how is Roger Kingdom doing with his world record attempt?
I’ll wait. And I’ld like to see the WR M45 improved!
Ive known Mike for years (since college)he’s a good guy. Whether a former world record-holder or not he’s always been humble and great guy. Masters needs good athletes but more importantly good people. It is harder than most people think (coming back) but I hope to see him stick with it.
All the best, Mike. Go for it!
I hope that Mike does make a comeback and breaks the record.
It is surprising how many negative comments that there are. This is not Joe jogger with big plans, he still holds the open world record [for all age groups] and jumped around 26 feet six years ago.
I jumped 26 feet 6 years ago to. Can’t do it now!!
can you still do 24′?
yep, can you??
I really don’t understand the haters who have so much pent up negativity. The man obviously knows his potential and knows exactly what he needs to do to jump more than 27 ft. I ran 10.3 1n 1985 @ 100m and as recently as 2 years ago ran 11 secs. I’m now 43 and still think I can lower that time.
I don’t think I am hearing “hate” or even dislike for Mike Powell. I think a lot of masters don’t like so much the former stars announcing comebacks and claiming records before they have shown they can do it.
The outstanding masters competitors work very hard for their success, and we have heard the stars’ comeback plans before. There was the contention that Johnny Gray would enter masters and get every record from 200 up. Never happened. Ed Moses also spoke up before he realized that bad knees can kinda cramp your running style…. welcome to masters track, Ed.
We welcome their participation. It is good for the movement. I suggest they go get in shape first, check their knees and hips, and then talk about the records.
Wow! I was surprised to read some of the comments about my intention to jump. I respect and admire everyone who competes at any level of track and field. I am a track and field geek, and I love challenges. I hope that my body can hold up to the training and hard work that lies ahead. Aaron thanks for your support, seeing guys like you and David Ashford out there inspire me to get in shape. I don’t think it would be easy, but I honestly feel like I can jump 24ft, I coach young athletes and I test myself sometimes, I can jump over 21ft pretty easily in my flats. So please ease up on me, I just want to have some fun too. And by the way I don’t like Big Macs, a Double-Double from Inn-n-Out will do.
Good luck Mike! The long jump comp. at the ’91 Worlds is the greatest T&F competition I’ve ever seen. You’re a legend and I hope you can get the masters record.
I was running 14 flat in the 100m at 10 years old and got down to 11.7 by the time I was 13 or 14. Best in the long jump was 6.29 around the same time. I never had any real coaching and after I injured myself playing football (soccer) I really regretted not really putting my all into athletics. I’m still a young’un at 28 but only now just starting to take getting into shape seriously again. Best of luck with your efforts!
From a Brit living in Bangkok.
Hey Mike please come out and jump in Sac next year! I won the Nat Masters long jump M45 this year and last(m40), and would love to get second to ya! I’m really a decathlete, and trained to do a dec this year for the first time in 25 years. I had TEN significant injuries during the training year. My tip: don’t train like you want to break the record, train within yourself and take lots of rest. Do it for the love of the sport.
I think that it’s great when any former elite athlete or even a legendary one announces a comeback with a World Record in mind.
If they are not able to accomplish this task for whatever reason, to me, it speaks even more for Masters athletes who ARE able to persevere and figure out how their aged bodies work as older folks. Many of us are just simply “late bloomers”. I’m still waiting for Bruce Jenner to show up sometime.
I hope Mike goes for it – all out. I think it’s great for Master’s contests regardless of how he performs. Mike you are awesome and I’d love to share the track (and field) with you. It would be a pleasure. Finally, I’d be surprised if all competitors in master’s don’t have a goal.
Mike, i was overwlemed to hear you were even thinking about jumping,i know mike and he loves track and feild,and loves to perform so,with open arms and high knees go for it ,remember all mike truly is the master jumper greatest of all time we must not forget,let me be an example i wanted to train to break k smiths world record 13.96 and had the vision and trained smart and well 13.73 this goal was attained,and had fun training for it and met so nice people along the way,masters or not the feild of dreams to break this record in my opinion is well within mikes ablity in my opinion, masters dreams do come true ken stone’s miricle medal is a great example of having the love for the sport but also representing the usa and doing it at a high level,and we all know mike is at altitude when jumps. dave ashford
YES,U CAN DO IT SIR.
I just stumbled across this websiite after reading an article about Mike Powell.
First, let me be a witness for Mike. I am a former NCAA Div 1 Long/triple jump. I grew up in California and eventually wound up competing in the same league as Mike Powell in the mid 80’s. This period in Track & Field history experienced an extreme wave of record-breaking performance from outstanding athletes.
It was common to see several athletes in the Jr. College ranks jumping over 7′ 7.75″ (Tyke Peacock) and 7′ 7″ (Milton Goode) indoor then eventually 7′ 8.25″ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Goode.
In addition, guys like future NFL star Henry Ellard 56′ 6″ (Fresno State) – http://masterstrack.com/meet-henry-ellard-from-nfl-to-m55-triple-jump-record-man/ and then you have Mike Powell at UC Irvine in 1984 then later at UCLA.
I had to long jump and triple jump against all of the above athletes. It was disheartening reading results from other states and leagues only to find I would have been winning or placing in meets had I not been in California competing against this group of super athletes. I ran into Mike Powell at the Olympic Trials in Sacramento back in 2000. Mike is one of the nicest guys. He is the complete antithesis of Carl Lewis. Mike is a gifted athlete who has always been able to jump further than 99.9% of all living people on this planet. Please remember that when you comment about him no matter his age.
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