Mac Wilkins 232-6 WR full competition with John Powell.wmv

Converted Super 8 footage of the epic battle between Mac Wilkins and John Powell in May of 1976. Mac through 232-6 that day for the world record. I believe John Powell was over 226. I was there competing as a high school thrower.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Wilkins
• and
• Powell
• WR
• Competition

[newnamegeorge]

The wind looked favourable from your film, but 70 metre throwing is still hard to do wherever you are! Awesome era for the sport, larger than life characters like Bruch and Schmidt as well as the US guys. Have you any more footage from this period? I am an avid collector and would love to trade if you have

[KrisLettow]

@newnamegeorge

The wind was howling that day! Perfect from the right quarter. This is the only film I have from that era. Sorry!

[newnamegeorge]

Hey this is great historic footage! Mac's WR throw here is nowhere near as good technically as some of his other long throws from 1976 [he was especially good in Montreal] but he was so pumped taking down Powell that i guess adrenalin got in the way. Wonder what the atmosphere was like in the circle that afternoon? Powell and Wilkins didn't get on well, did they?

[KrisLettow]

@newnamegeorge

In an era when trash talking was not the norm, Mac was mouthing off to Powell throughout the competition. Mac was very jacked up and John was cool as ever. You could sense that there was a changing of the guard with Mac taking over from Powell. It was amazing to watch. I was only 17 and had won the HS division earlier that day. All I wanted to be was like Mac Wilkins!!

[sampsonelectro2224]

I personally think that if powell had the hop and sweep of wilkins he could hav gone 250

[sampsonelectro2224]

Could someone tell me why he is marching and raising his arms above his head in this video? Im sorry for being naive

[astout76]

I have to date, never seen a thrower, man or woman, chase a discus up or out as aggressively or successfully as Wilkins. It's impressive, i put that much into a throw....and scratch-a-zilla here i come. I end up 2-3 feet outside the ring! Impressive!!!