Powell's event ambassador

 Mike Powell, the world record holder in long jump, will be the international event ambassador of the TCS World 10K here on May 15.

The American joins an illustrious list of athletes who have graced the event in the past, including the likes of Carl Lewis, Paul Tergat and Marie Jose Perec.

Powell, who is expected to land here on May 12, expressed his delight at being part of the race, which is in its ninth year.

“It is a personal honour for me to be the ambassador of such a prestigious running event in India,” he said in a message.

 “When communities come together and run as one, there is a sense of belonging that is inculcated in each of those runners, and that feeling is often the best runners’ high there is! To be able to go out there and run a 5k, or a 10k or a marathon, holding your focus that long, is very, very difficult and to have that kind of determination for that long is just amazing,” he added, wishing luck to all the participants. Powell is best remembered for his epic contest with Carl Lewis at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.

World record

He set the world record of 8.95 metres, erasing the 23-year-old mark of 8.90 metres set by Bob Beamon at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968.

Powell had also helped in fine-tuning the preparations of champion Indian long-jumper Anju Bobby George ahead of the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Meanwhile, the organisers announced that 23,748 runners have registered for the event across different segments, including 12,215 in the 10km run and 10,425 in the Majja Run.