Long Jump

Long Jump is one of the most amazing track and field events in my opinion. It is unbelievable how far they can jump, it is the closest to flying as man will ever get.

THE RECORDS
The athlete who is right now, as close to flying as anyone will ever be is Mike Powell of America, with a world record jump of 8.95m, set in Tokyo Japan in the 1991 World Championships. He battled it out with Carl Lewis all day long, but in the end he came out on top. However, the Olympic World Record 8.90m, belongs to Bob Beamon a fellow American in 1968 in Mexico City. This Olympic record has yet to be beaten.The women's Olympic record was set by Jackie Joyner-Kersee of America, with a Jump of 7.40m. This record was set on September 29, 1988 in the Seoul Olympics. The women's world record was set by Galina Chistyakova from Slovakia, with a jump of 7.52m. This record was set in Liningrad (URS).

But Bob Beamon only claimed the gold medal once in the Olympics. There is an athlete who claimed the long jump gold medal in four consecutive Olympic Games. This athlete is the one and only.....

ONE OF THE GREATS
Carl Lewis. Carl Lewis remained unbeaten in long jump for 10 years and 65 meetings. He was truly a great of long jump. He competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the 1988 Seoul Olympic, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Carl lewis born on July 1, 1961 in Birmingham Alabama, won his first Olympic Long Jump Gold Medal at the age of 23 and continued winning gold medals until he was 34.

MEDAL WINNERS
Now, back to 2008. Irving Saladino a 25 year old from Panama won the men's long jump gold medal with a jump of 8.34m. The silver medal went to a 23 year old South African, with a jump of 8.24m. The Bronze medal went to a 28 year old, froma cuba with a jump of 8.20m. Higa Maggi from Brazil is the Olympic women's long jump gold medalist. She is 32 years of age and won the gold medal with a jump of 7.04m. Tatyana a 32 year old from Russia, won the silver medal with a jump of 7.03m. Blessing Okagbare, a 20 year old from Nigeria won the Bronze medal with a jump of 6.91m.