Memorable triple jump
Triple jump used to be an event that few non-track and field enthusiasts even noticed. At the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956 the best of the filed jumped only over 15 meters. Today even women go over 15 meters and with the men’s World Record being over 18 meters and jumpers routinely going over 17 meters it is an exciting event to watch.
Looking back one can’t but recall the incredible Viktor Saneyev of former Soviet Union who won the Olympic triple jump three times – in 1968, 1972 and 1976, and only missed his forth gold by five inches in 1980.
Jonathan Edwards of Great Britain dominated the event for a number of years and still holds the World Record of incredible 18.29 meters, which is over 60 feet, and constitutes a phenomenal average of 6 meters plus per each hop, step and jump.
British track and field has his worthy follower in Phillips Idowu who placed second at the Olympic Games in Beijing with a jump of 17.62 meters. The event was won by Nelson Evora of Portugal who beat Idowu by mere 5 centimeters.
At the Beijing Olympic games seven jumpers went over 17 meters, a stunning performance, that makes one wonder who can win in London in 2012 and what distance the athletes can reach at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
