Long jump

Lore & Background

The long jump is the only known jumping event of ancient Greece's original Olympics' pentathlon events. All events at the Olympic Games were initially supposed to act as training for warfare, and the long jump likely mirrored crossing obstacles such as streams and ravines. Unlike the modern event, ancient athletes were allowed only a short running start and carried weights called halteres (1 to 4.5 kg) in each hand, which were swung forward to increase momentum and then down and back at the end of the jump to change the center of gravity. The jump was made from a board called the bater, and the landing area was a dug-up area called a skamma, not a sand pit. Music was often played during the jump, and Philostratus noted that the rules regarded jumping as the most difficult competition, allowing advantages in rhythm from the flute and in weight from the halteres. There is scholarly debate over whether the ancient event was a triple jump, but images suggest it was much like today's long jump.

Reader's Guide

At the elite level, competitors run down a rubberized runway and jump from a wooden or synthetic board 20 cm wide into a sand pit. A foul is declared if any part of the foot is past the foul line, detected by plasticine or modern camera and laser sensors. Competitors typically have three trials, with the best eight or nine receiving three additional jumps; the longest valid jump wins. The event's technique involves five components: approach run, last two strides, takeoff, action in the air, and landing. Speed in the approach is critical, and many long jumpers also compete successfully in sprints, such as Carl Lewis and Heike Drechsler. For record purposes, maximum accepted wind assistance is 2 m/s.

Did You Know?

• The long jump is the only known jumping event of ancient Greece's original Olympics pentathlon.
• Ancient jumpers carried weights called halteres (1 to 4.5 kg) and swung them to increase momentum.