Powell aims for Olympic return at age 40

Training since September, Powell believes he can qualify and even medal at the games in Athens, Greece. But he cautions that if his distance falls short of his standards before the trials, he will call off the comeback.

“I’m not going to go out there and embarrass myself,” Powell said. “If I can’t get (26 feet, 6 inches) by the trials I’m not going out there.”

Powell last jumped at the Olympics in 1996. Primed to win the gold, he ripped a frayed groin muscle in his last jump in the final and wound up finishing fifth. In the two previous Olympics, he took home silver after Carl Lewis beat him out for gold. In the late 1980s to mid 1990s, Powell and Lewis staged epic long-jump duels that brought excitement to track and field. The distances of today’s long jumpers fall far short of their standards.

Lewis topped Powell in each of the Olympics, but fell short of him in pursuit of the world long-jump record. Bob Beaman set the record at the 1968 Olympics with a leap of 29-2 1/2. The record lasted for 23 years until the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.

In his prime, Powell starred on the track during the day and partied like a rock star at night. He hit the party scene anytime an invitation came his way, staying up to the wee hours of the night dancing and schmoozing with celebrities. “When you’re going out to be the best you want to be the best at anything,” he said. “So if we’re going to party we’re going to party.”

Fourteen years later, Powell still lives in Rancho Cucamonga. His party days long over, Powell will celebrate his seventh wedding anniverary to Casie Powell on September 27. Six months ago, they had their first child, Carlee. Powell is now the father of two daughters. Nine-year-old Micha lives with her mother in Canada.

Family now takes precedence in his life, but Powell manages to find time for track. Though his body told him to slow down after the 1996 Olympics, Powell stayed active in track and field as a coach. He coaches a long jump academy at Chaffey College and Cal Poly Pomona and he assists the Cal State Fullerton men’s team.

As a coach, Powell can train with his pupils and see how he stacks up to younger long jumpers. Every now and then they coax him into showing he can still fly. Powell always beats them but then pays the price later that night.

“When I’m out there with young guys calling me old that’s when I’m like wait a minute and try to do too much,” he said. “What I wouldn’t do for three months of being 25.”

Powell minimises his training so that his body will be healthy come July 9-18 for the trials in Sacramento. Lean and toned in his prime, Powell packed on the pounds after he cut down his training. The past few years his weight fluctuated between 180 and 200 pounds. He currently weighs 185 and expects to drop to 180 – his weight at past Olympics – for the trials.

“I just want to be able to take my shirt off,” he said. “That’s hard enough. For a couple years there I had to go to bed with my shirt on.”

(The New York Times)