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Mike Powell is an American athlete renowned for his achievements in the long jump. He broke the long-standing world record previously held by Bob Beamon, leaping 8.95 meters (29.4 feet) in 1991. This record surpassed Beamon's 1968 jump of 8.90 meters (29.2 feet). The long jump is a track-and-field event where athletes jump horizontally for distance, typically from a running start onto a sand-filled landing area. Powell's record-breaking jump is a significant moment in the history of this athletic discipline.12

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