Long jumper Mike Powell, who often visits Finland, competed today in Tampere’s World Championships in adult athletics.
Aino Paloniemi,
Heikki Ali-Hokka
The reigning world record holder in the long jump Mike Powell competed today in Tampere in the World Championships in athletics adult series. The good-natured Powell, 58, has maintained his relationship with athletics after a competitive career through coaching.
Powell enjoys Finland and has visited the country several times. A week ago, he participated in Lempäälä’s jumping carnival.
Last year he worked in Tampere at the Kaleva Games as an interviewer and medalist, and in 2018 he worked in Tampere at the Youth World Championships.
The two-time world champion has coached mainly in his home country, the United States. However, Powell flashed Urheilu the green light about coaching in Finland as well.
– I would like that. It would be great to coach here. I’ve always wanted to go to another country, live there for a year or two and coach track and field athletes, Powell said enthusiastically.
– No one has asked me about coaching yet, but I’m willing to.
A record result from more than three decades ago
The long jump ME 895 has been in Powell’s possession for 31 years. Powell jumped the result at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.
At that time, Powell and his compatriots were in a long-distance struggle by Carl Lewis between. Powell had decided before the Tokyo race that he was going to win.
– I didn’t care how far Carl Lewis was jumping, I was going to jump further. It didn’t matter if the result was nine meters and five centimeters. I would have jumped too, Powell recalled.
The athlete, who is dedicated to the long jump, strongly believes that one day the result will be broken. However, according to him, it will require the cooperation of the athletes.
– If I could do it, someone else can too. At that time I was helped by the fact that I was behind Carl Lewis in the race. He made it easier for me because I had to jump so far to win.
– I bet that the one who is going to break the record needs another athlete to help achieve the result.
The Tampere long distance race did not take off
Wednesday’s long jump competition didn’t go exactly as planned for Powell. Before his first jump, he felt tightness in his left thigh. During the performance, the sensations shifted to pain in the right groin.
Consequently, Powell missed the performance and the entire Endurance Competition.
– This is how it goes in competitions for adult athletes. Everyone has some kind of problem, Powell stated.
– I haven’t run so fast in a while and I was very excited. I could feel the pain sticking, so I can’t defect anymore. Now I just had fun and that’s the most important thing.
Powell’s goal is to make the adult series World Cup a more well-known phenomenon. Finland’s humid summer weather didn’t give Powell the best on Wednesday either.
– I brought the Los Angeles weather here last week, but apparently it stopped now.
The World Championships in athletics adult series are running in Tampere until July 10. Athletes over the age of 35 participate in the games.