Yaa. And Bob B would have won every OG ever with his 1968 winning jump. Actually Bob B would have won every long jump comp in world history with that jump except for one.
Eh, Bob Beamon’s jump was good but not earth shattering. It was done at altitude with a gale force wind at his back that went away right after his jump. In fact, I have read that a couple of his competitors jumped further than the existing world record during warm-ups.
Not "earth shattering"? He broke the record of 8.35m with a jump of 8.90m and WON by 71 cm! The next closest jump was 8.27m. Warm ups? BS... I would like to see documentation on that. The wind was legal (2.0) and Boston had jumped with the same wind but only managed 8.16m.
It was such an amazing jump it spawned a word...Beamonesque
I read it in Charlie Francis’ book Speed Trap. I have a hardcover first edition, page 168. Here is the passage I am referencing.
“The record notwithstanding, Lewis had already proven to knowledgeable observers that he was the greatest long jumper in history, and far superior to Bob Beamon. Beamon’s record of 29 feet 2 1/2 inches, set at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, has long been held up as one of the premiere feats in the history of sport. In fact, it was a solid but unremarkable effort. Like the 1968 Olympic sprinters, several of whom also set world records, Beamon was aided by Mexico City’s thinner air. In addition, he benefited from a gusting tailwind, which seem to far exceed the international limit of 2 m/s - about 4.5 miles per hour - beyond which a record is negated. Lynn Davies, the British gold medalist in the event in 1964, later told me that both he and the American Charlie Mays had exceeded 28 feet in their warm-ups, just before Beamon’s historic leap - well past the previous world record of 27 feet 4 3/4 inches - and could barely wait to take their official turns. But Beamon got one more huge break: he jumped forth ahead of his top competitors. The first three jumpers fouled. Beamon landed beyond the optical, siding device, and by the time officials had measured the jump manually, the tail wind had died, and the late afternoon rain had begun to fall. Devastated, the other finalists failed to break 27 feet. Beamon himself never jumped as far is 28 feet after that day.”
Except the wind gauge reading was 2.0...
Sorry, but these sorts of accounts are sketchy. Also exceeding 28 feet is a LONG way from 29 feet!
I read it in Charlie Francis’ book Speed Trap. I have a hardcover first edition, page 168. Here is the passage I am referencing.
“The record notwithstanding, Lewis had already proven to knowledgeable observers that he was the greatest long jumper in history, and far superior to Bob Beamon. Beamon’s record of 29 feet 2 1/2 inches, set at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, has long been held up as one of the premiere feats in the history of sport. In fact, it was a solid but unremarkable effort. Like the 1968 Olympic sprinters, several of whom also set world records, Beamon was aided by Mexico City’s thinner air. In addition, he benefited from a gusting tailwind, which seem to far exceed the international limit of 2 m/s - about 4.5 miles per hour - beyond which a record is negated. Lynn Davies, the British gold medalist in the event in 1964, later told me that both he and the American Charlie Mays had exceeded 28 feet in their warm-ups, just before Beamon’s historic leap - well past the previous world record of 27 feet 4 3/4 inches - and could barely wait to take their official turns. But Beamon got one more huge break: he jumped forth ahead of his top competitors. The first three jumpers fouled. Beamon landed beyond the optical, siding device, and by the time officials had measured the jump manually, the tail wind had died, and the late afternoon rain had begun to fall. Devastated, the other finalists failed to break 27 feet. Beamon himself never jumped as far is 28 feet after that day.”
Seems credible with multiple contemporaneous citations.
I’m not sure why my posts keep getting deleted, but I disagree with your response Malmo. The author is relaying what he was told. You can choose to disbelieve him if you want. But it is a fact that there were high winds that day, and another poster suggested that the wind gauge may have malfunctioned.
Duh. Owens would be considered a “generational talent” today. A world class sprinter that can and did long jump. None of today’s long jumpers are world class sprinters. Think about Lyles doing the long jump. The last one being Carl Lewis I reckon. Lawson was very good at the NCAA level but not world class. The horizontal jumps no longer attract that level of talent.
Duh. Owens would be considered a “generational talent” today. A world class sprinter that can and did long jump. None of today’s long jumpers are world class sprinters. Think about Lyles doing the long jump. The last one being Carl Lewis I reckon. Lawson was very good at the NCAA level but not world class. The horizontal jumps no longer attract that level of talent.
Yes, I think that is key. None of the top jumpers today are world class sprinters. Probably it takes that to jump 28 to 29 feet consistently.
based on PBs Jesse would finished in a significantly different position... His wr was outstanding in his day. On Bob Beamons wr, just how many over 8.90m jumps even with wind have been recorded since 1968. 5, total 6 with wr. says it all how good that record was and is as an olympic record - could last another 50years
Discus. Amazing isn’t it. Was Owens that good, or are the jumpers of today just not that great?
Both. Owens well ahead of his time and with modern tracks and equipment would be well over 8.50m.
It is also true that with very few execeptions the long jumpers of the last 30 years have been very mediocre and never threatened to reach Lewis/Powell distances.
And yet people think that all elite athletes are doping. You think if someone could jump 8.13 back then that no-one can be jumping 8.20-8.60 now clean with all the advancements? Get real man.
Owen’s would have never long jumped in the modern era. Would have been sprint focused like everyone else with long jump potential. Nature of the modern beast.
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