Farthest long jump (male)
Who
Mike Powell
What
8.95 metre(s)
Where
Japan (Tokyo)
When

Mike Powell (USA) won long jump gold at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics with his fifth-round leap of 8.95 metres (29 feet 4.36 inches) in Tokyo, Japan, on 30 August 1991. Powell emerged triumphant after a thrilling battle with rival Carl Lewis, in the process beating one of the most enduring records in sport – Bob Beamon’s mark of 8.90 metres (29 feet 2.3 inches), which had stood since 1968.

In Tokyo, Carl Lewis recorded a fourth-round jump of 8.91 metres, beyond Bob Beamon’s legendary mark, although his jump was wind-assisted and thus could not have counted as a world record. The wind had eased from +2.9 to +0.3 by the time Powell jumped in the fifth round, meaning his mark of 8.95 metres could be ratified as a world record.