Conditions inside the stadium were strange. The humidity was intense but there was a swirling wind too - far from ideal conditions under which to have a go at Bob Beamon's 23-year-old world record. But before the contest was over, the two Americans would produce four of the seven longest jumps in history.

Lewis jumped farther than he ever had before, or would again, on his fourth jump with 8.91m - although it was wind-aided. Powell, who had seen a huge jump marginally red-flagged earlier, then came up with the greatest jump in history, an incredible 8.95m, to blow away a record many had thought was unbreakable.

Lewis' fifth jump was 8.87m. Powell fouled on his sixth and final effort and then waited for Lewis to finish.

"I timed it," he said later. "It was five minutes and 31 seconds from the time [Lewis] walked onto the runway to the time he jumped. My heart was beating very quickly. I started to feel faint. I hoped not, but deep down, I thought he would beat me." Not this time. Lewis finished with a jump of 8.83m and Powell was off, running down the infield leaping and whooping and hugging the official who had red-flagged him on an earlier huge leap.