Long jumper at the GE Money Grand Prix in Helsinki, July 2005.

An indicator of wind direction and a device for measuring wind speed (here +2.6 m/s) along a run-up track.

The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point. This event has been an Olympic medal event since the first modern Olympics in 1896 and has a history in the Ancient Olympic Games.

Rules[link]

At the elite level, competitors run down a runway (usually coated with the same rubberized surface as running tracks, crumb rubber also vulcanized rubber) and jump as far as they can from a wooden board 20 cm/8 inches wide that is built flush with the runway into a pit filled with finely ground gravel or sand. If the competitor starts the leap with any part of the foot past the foul line, the jump is declared a foul and no distance is recorded. A layer of plasticine is placed immediately after the board to detect this occurrence. An official (similar to a referee) will also watch the jump and make the determination. The competitor can initiate the jump from any point behind the foul line; however, the distance measured will always be perpendicular to the foul line to the nearest break in the sand caused by any part of the body or uniform. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the competitor to get as close to the foul line as possible. Competitors are allowed to place two marks along the side of the runway in order to assist them to jump accurately. At a lesser meet and facilities, the plasticine will likely not exist, the runway might be a different surface or jumpers may initiate their jump from a painted or taped mark on the runway.

Each competitor has a set number of attempts. That would normally be three trials, with three additional jumps being awarded to the best 8 or 9 (depending on the number of lanes on the track at that facility, so the event is equatable to track events) competitors. All legal marks will be recorded but only the longest legal jump counts towards the results. The competitor with the longest legal jump (from either the trial or final rounds) at the end of competition is declared the winner. In the event of an exact tie, then comparing the next best jumps of the tied competitors will be used to determine place. In a large, multi-day elite (like the Olympics or World Championships) competition, a set number of competitors will advance to the final round, determined in advance by the meet management. A set of 3 trial round jumps will be held in order to select those finalists. It is standard practice to allow at a minimum, one more competitor than the number of scoring positions to return to the final round, though 12 plus ties and automatic qualifying distances are also potential factors. (For specific rules and regulations in United States Track & Field see Rule 185^[1]).

History[link]

Halteres used in athletic games in ancient Greece.

Standing long jump, detail of a page from the Luzerner Chronik of 1513.

The long jump is the only known jumping event of Ancient Greece's original Olympics' pentathlon events. The long jump was in these Ancient Olympic Games. All events that occurred at the Olympic Games were initially supposed to act as a form of training for warfare. The long jump emerged probably because it mirrored the crossing of obstacles such as streams and ravines.^[2] After investigating the surviving depictions of the ancient event it is believed that unlike the modern day event, athletes were only allowed a short running start.^[2] The athletes carried a weight in each hand, which were called halteres (between 1 and 4.5 kg). These weights were swung forward as the athlete jumped in order to increase momentum. It is commonly believed that the jumper would throw the weights behind him in mid-air to increase his forward momentum; however, halteres were held throughout the duration of the jump. Swinging them down and back at the end of the jump would change the athlete's center of gravity and allow the athlete to stretch his legs outward, increasing his distance. The jump itself was made from the bater ("that which is trod upon"). It was most likely a simple board placed on the stadium track which was removed after the event (Miller, 66). The jumpers would land in what was called a skamma ("dug-up" area) (Miller, 66). The idea that this was a pit full of sand is wrong. Sand in the jumping pit is a modern invention (Miller, 66). The skamma was simply a temporary area dug up for that occasion and not something that remained over time. The long jump was considered one of the most difficult of the events held at the Games since a great deal of skill was required. Music was often played during the jump and Philostratus says that pipes at times would accompany the jump so as to provide a rhythm for the complex movements of the halteres by the athlete.^[2] Philostratos is quoted as saying, "The rules regard jumping as the most difficult of the competitions, and they allow the jumper to be given advantages in rhythm by the use of the flute, and in weight by the use of the halter." (Miller, 67). Most notable in the ancient sport was a man called Chionis, who in the 656BC Olympics staged a jump of 7.05 metres (23 feet and 1.7 inches).^[3]

There has been some argument by modern scholars over the long jump. Some have attempted to recreate it as a triple jump. The images provide the only evidence for the action so it is more well received that it was much like today's long jump. The main reason some want to call it a triple jump is the presence of a source that claims there once was a fifty five ancient foot jump done by a man named Phayllos (Miller, 68).

The long jump has been part of modern Olympic competition since the inception of the Games in 1896. In 1914, Dr. Harry Eaton Stewart recommended the "running broad jump" as a standardized track and field event for women.^[4] However, it was not until 1928 that the women's long jump was added to the Olympic athletics programme.

Records[link]

The long jump is notable for several of the longest-standing world records in any track and field event. In 1935, Jesse Owens set a long jump world record of 8.13m (26 feet, 8 inches) that was not broken for 25 years, until 1960 by Ralph Boston. In 1968, Bob Beamon jumped 8.90 metres (29 feet, 2½ inches) at the 1968 Summer Olympics at an altitude of 7,349 feet (2,240 m), a jump not exceeded for a further 23 years, in 1991. On August 30 of that year, Mike Powell of the United States, in a well-known show down against Carl Lewis, leapt 8.95 m (29.4 ft) at the World Championships in Tokyo, setting the current men's world record which has now stood for over 20 years.

Some jumps over 8.95 m (29.4 ft) have been officially recorded. 8.99 m/29.5 ft was recorded by Mike Powell himself (wind-aided +4.4) set at high altitude in Sestriere, Italy in 1992. A potential world record of 8.96 m/29.4 ft was recorded by Iván Pedroso,^[5] with a "legal" wind reading also at Sestriere, but the jump was not validated because videotape revealed someone was standing in front of the wind gauge, invalidating the reading (and costing Pedroso a Ferrari valued at $130,000--the prize for breaking the record at that meet).^[6][7] Lewis himself jumped 8.91m moments before Powell's record-breaking jump with the wind exceeding the maximum allowed; this jump remains the longest never to win Olympic or World Championship gold medal, or any competition in general.

The current world record for women is held by Galina Chistyakova of the former Soviet Union who leapt 7.52 m (24.7 ft) in Leningrad on June 11, 1988, a mark that is approaching 24 years itself.

Technique[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

There are four main components of the long jump: the approach run, the last two strides, takeoff, action in the air, and landing. Speed in the run-up, or approach, and a high leap off the board are the fundamentals of success. Because speed is such an important factor of the approach, it is not surprising that many long jumpers also compete successfully in sprints. A classic example of this long jump / sprint doubling are performances by Carl Lewis.

The approach[link]

The objective of the approach is to gradually accelerate to a maximum controlled speed at takeoff. The most important factor for the distance traveled by an object is its velocity at takeoff - both the speed and angle. Elite jumpers usually leave the ground at an angle of twenty degrees or less; therefore, it is more beneficial for a jumper to focus on the speed component of the jump. The greater the speed at takeoff, the longer the trajectory of the center of mass will be. The importance of a takeoff speed is a factor in the success of sprinters in this event.

The length of the approach is usually consistent distance for an athlete. Approaches can vary between 12 and 19 strides on the novice and intermediate levels, while at the elite level they are closer to between 20 and 22 strides. The exact distance and number of strides in an approach depends on the jumper's experience, sprinting technique, and conditioning level. Consistency in the approach is important as it is the competitor's objective to get as close to the front of the takeoff board as possible without crossing the line with any part of the foot.

Inconsistent approaches are a common problem in the event. As a result the approach is usually practiced by athletes about 6-8 times per jumping session (see Training below).

The last two strides[link]

The objective of the last two strides is to prepare the body for takeoff while conserving as much speed as possible.

The penultimate (second to last) stride is longer than the last stride. The competitor begins to lower his or her center of gravity to prepare the body for the vertical impulse. The final stride is shorter because the body is beginning to raise the center of gravity in preparation for takeoff.

The last two strides are extremely important because they determine the velocity with which the competitor will enter the jump; the greater the velocity, the better the jump.

Takeoff[link]

The objective of the takeoff is to create a vertical impulse through the athlete's center of gravity while maintaining balance and control.

This phase is one of the most technical parts of the long jump. Jumpers must be conscious to place the foot flat on the ground, because jumping off either the heels or the toes negatively affects the jump. Taking off from the board heel-first has a braking effect, which decreases velocity and strains the joints. Jumping off the toes decreases stability, putting the leg at risk of buckling or collapsing from underneath the jumper. While concentrating on foot placement, the athlete must also work to maintain proper body position, keeping the torso upright and moving the hips forward and up to achieve the maximum distance from board contact to foot release.

There are four main styles of takeoff: the kick style, double-arm style, sprint takeoff, and the power sprint or bounding takeoff.

Kick[link]

The kick style takeoff is a style of takeoff where the athlete actively cycles the leg before a full impulse has been directed into the board then landing into the pit. This requires great strength in the hamstrings. This causes the jumper to jump to large distances.

Double-arm[link]

The double-arm style of takeoff works by moving both arms in a vertical direction as the competitor takes off. This produces a high hip height and a large vertical impulse.

Sprint[link]

The sprint takeoff is the style most widely instructed by coaching staff. This is a classic single-arm action that resembles a jumper in full stride. It is an efficient takeoff style for maintaining velocity through takeoff.

Power sprint or bounding[link]

The power sprint takeoff, or bounding takeoff, is arguably one of the most effective styles.^[who?] Very similar to the sprint style, the body resembles a sprinter in full stride. However, there is one major difference. The arm that pushes back on takeoff (the arm on the side of the takeoff leg) fully extends backward, rather than remaining at a bent position. This additional extension increases the impulse at takeoff.

The "correct" style of takeoff will vary from athlete to athlete.

Multi-eventer Jessica Ennis during a long jump, preparing to land

Action in the air and landing[link]

There are three major flight techniques for the long jump: the hang, the sail, and the hitch-kick. Each technique is to combat the forward rotation experienced from take-off but is basically down to preference from the athlete. It is important to note that once the body is airborne, there is nothing that the athlete can do to change the direction they are travelling and consequently where they are going to land in the pit. However, it can be argued that certain techniques influence an athlete's landing, which can have an impact on distance measured. For example, if an athlete lands feet first but falls back because they are not correctly balanced, a lower distance will be measured.

Training[link]

The long jump generally requires training in a variety of areas. These areas include, but are not limited to, those listed below.

Jumping[link]

Long Jumpers tend to practice jumping 1-2 times a week. Approaches, or run-throughs, are repeated sometimes up to 6-8 times per session.

Over-distance running[link]

Over-distance running workouts helps the athlete jump a further distance than their set goal. For example, having a 100m runner practice by running 200m repeats on a track. This is specifically concentrated in the season when athletes are working on building endurance. Specific over-distance running workouts are performed 1-2 times a week. This is great for building sprint endurance, which is required in competitions where the athlete is sprinting down the runway 3-6 times.

Weight training[link]

During pre-season training and early in the competition season weight training tends to play a major role in the sport. It is customary for a long jumper to weight train up to 4 times a week, focusing mainly on quick movements involving the legs and trunk. Some athletes perform Olympic lifts in training. Athletes use low repetition and emphasize speed to maximize the strength increase while minimizing adding additional weight to their frame.

Plyometrics[link]

Plyometrics, including running up and down stairs and hurdle bounding, can be incorporated into workouts, generally twice a week. This allows an athlete to work on agility and explosiveness.

Bounding[link]

Bounding is any sort of continuous jumping or leaping. Bounding drills usually require single leg bounding, double-leg bounding, or some variation of the two. The focus of bounding drills is usually to spend as little time on the ground as possible and working on technical accuracy, fluidity, and jumping endurance and strength. Technically, bounding is part of plyometrics, as a form of a running exercise such as high knees and butt kicks.

Flexibility[link]

Flexibility is an often forgotten tool for long jumpers. Effective flexibility prevents injury, which can be important for high impact events such as the long jump. It also helps the athlete sprint down the runway.

A common tool in many long jump workouts is the use of video taping. This enables the athlete to go back and watch their own progress as well as letting the athlete compare their own footage to that of some of the world class jumpers.

Training styles, duration, and intensity varies immensely from athlete to athlete and is based on the experience and strength of the athlete as well as on their coaching style.

World record progression[link]

World record progression for the Long Jump.

Men[link]

The first world record in the men's long jump was recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912.^[8] The inaugural record was Peter O'Connor's 7.61 m leap from 1901. To date O'Connor, Jesse Owens, Bob Beamon and Mike Powell have each held the world record for over 20 years. In that same time, there has been barely 20 years when one of those four men have not held the world record. Note: the current women's world record is three years older than the current men's world record.

As of June 21, 2011, 18 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.^[8]

Mark	Wind	Athlete	Venue	Date
7.61 m (24 ft 11 5⁄8 in)		Peter O'Connor (IRL)*	Dublin	1901-08-05[8]
7.69 m (25 ft 2 3⁄4 in)		Edward Gourdin (USA)	Cambridge	1923-07-23[8]
7.76 m (25 ft 5 1⁄2 in)		Robert LeGendre (USA)	Paris	1924-07-07[8]
7.89 m (25 ft 10 5⁄8 in)		DeHart Hubbard (USA)	Chicago	1925-06-13[8]
7.90 m (25 ft 11 in)		Edward Hamm (USA)	Cambridge	1928-07-07[8]
7.93 m (26 ft 3⁄16 in)	0.0 m/s	Sylvio Cator (HAI)	Paris	1928-09-09[8]
7.98 m (26 ft 2 3⁄16 in)	0.5 m/s	Chuhei Nambu (JPN)	Tokyo	1931-10-27[8]
8.13 m (26 ft 8 1⁄16 in)	1.5 m/s	Jesse Owens (USA)	Ann Arbor	1935-05-25[8]
8.21 m (26 ft 11 1⁄4 in)	0.0 m/s	Ralph Boston (USA)	Walnut	1960-08-12[8]
8.24 m (27 ft 7⁄16 in)	1.8 m/s	Ralph Boston (USA)	Modesto	1961-05-27[8]
8.28 m (27 ft 2 in)	1.2 m/s	Ralph Boston (USA)	Moscow	1961-07-16[8]
8.31 m (27 ft 3 3⁄16 in)	-0.1 m/s	Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS)	Yerevan	1962-06-10[8]
8.31 m (27 ft 3 3⁄16 in)	0.0 m/s	Ralph Boston (USA)	Kingston	1964-08-15[8]
8.34 m (27 ft 4 3⁄8 in)	1.0 m/s	Ralph Boston (USA)	Los Angeles	1964-09-12[8]
8.35 m (27 ft 4 3⁄4 in)	0.0 m/s	Ralph Boston (USA)	Modesto	1965-05-29[8]
8.35 m (27 ft 4 3⁄4 in)	0.0 m/s	Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS)	Mexico City	1967-10-19[8]
8.90 m (29 ft 2 3⁄8 in)	2.0 m/s	Bob Beamon (USA)	Mexico City	1968-10-18[8]
8.95 m (29 ft 4 3⁄8 in)	0.3 m/s	Mike Powell (USA)	Tokyo	1991-08-30[8]

*Ireland in 1901 was still part of the United Kingdom; however O'Connor considered himself Irish and was competing on this occasion as a member of the Irish Amateur Athletic Association. In the source above he is listed as "GBI/IRL".

• On July 24, 1960  Manfred Steinbach (FRG) jumped 8.14 m but with no wind-reading.^[9]
• On July 29, 1995  Iván Pedroso (CUB) jumped 8.96 m but the validity of the wind-reading was disputed.^[10]

Women[link]

The first world record in the women's long jump was recognized by the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSFI) in 1922.^[11] The FSFI was absorbed by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1936.

As of June 21, 2011, the IAAF (and the FSFI before it) have ratified 36 world records in the event.^[11]

Mark	Wind	Athlete	Venue	Date
5.16 m (16 ft 11 1⁄8 in)		Marie Mejzlikova II (TCH)	Prague	1922-08-06[11]
5.30 m (17 ft 4 11⁄16 in)		Marie Mejzlikova II (TCH)	Prague	1923-09-23[11]
5.485 m (17 ft 11 15⁄16 in)		Muriel Gunn (GBR)	London	1926-08-02[11]
5.50 m (18 ft 9⁄16 in)		Kinue Hitomi (JPN)	Gothenburg	1926-08-28[11]
5.575 m (18 ft 3 1⁄2 in)		Muriel Gunn (GBR)	London	1927-08-01[11]
5.98 m (19 ft 7 7⁄16 in)		Kinue Hitomi (JPN)	Osaka	1928-05-20[11]
6.12 m (20 ft 15⁄16 in)		Christel Schultz (Germany)	Berlin	1939-07-30[11]
6.25 m (20 ft 6 1⁄16 in)		Francina Blankers-Koen (NED)	Leiden	1943-09-19[11]
6.28 m (20 ft 7 1⁄4 in)	0.2 m/s	Yvette Williams (NZL)	Gisborne	1954-02-20[11]
6.28 m (20 ft 7 1⁄4 in)	1.3 m/s	Galina Vinogradova (URS)	Moscow	1955-09-11[11]
6.31 m (20 ft 8 7⁄16 in)	0.5 m/s	Galina Vinogradova (URS)	Tbilisi	1955-11-18[11]
6.35 m (20 ft 10 in)	1.0 m/s	Elżbieta Krzesińska (POL)	Budapest	1956-08-20[11]
6.35 m (20 ft 10 in)		Elżbieta Krzesińska (POL)	Melbourne	1956-11-27[11]
6.40 m (20 ft 11 15⁄16 in)	0.0 m/s	Hildrun Claus (GDR)	Erfurt	1960-08-07[11]
6.42 m (21 ft 3⁄4 in)	1.4 m/s	Hildrun Claus (GDR)	Berlin	1961-06-23[11]
6.48 m (21 ft 3 1⁄8 in)	-1.5 m/s	Tatyana Shchelkanova (URS)	Moscow	1961-07-16[11]
6.53 m (21 ft 5 1⁄16 in)	1.5 m/s	Tatyana Shchelkanova (URS)	Leipzig	1962-06-10[11]
6.70 m (21 ft 11 3⁄4 in)		Tatyana Shchelkanova (URS)	Moscow	1964-07-04[11]
6.76 m (22 ft 2 1⁄8 in)	-1.6 m/s	Mary Rand (GBR)	Tokyo	1964-10-14[11]
6.82 m (22 ft 4 1⁄2 in)	0.0 m/s	Viorica Viscopoleanu (ROU)	Mexico City	1968-10-14[11]
6.84 m (22 ft 5 5⁄16 in)	0.0 m/s	Heide Rosendahl (FRG)	Turin	1970-09-03[11]
6.92 m (22 ft 8 7⁄16 in)	1.6 m/s	Angela Voigt (GDR)	Dresden	1976-05-09[11]
6.99 m (22 ft 11 3⁄16 in)	2.0 m/s	Siegrun Siegl (GDR)	Dresden	1976-07-19[11]
7.07 m (23 ft 2 3⁄8 in)	1.9 m/s	Vilma Bardauskienė (URS)	Kishinyov	1978-08-18[11]
7.09 m (23 ft 3 1⁄8 in)	0.0 m/s	Vilma Bardauskienė (URS)	Prague	1978-08-29[11]
7.15 m (23 ft 5 1⁄2 in)	0.3 m/s	Anişoara Cuşmir (ROU)	Bucharest	1982-08-01[11]
7.20 m (23 ft 7 7⁄16 in)	-0.3 m/s	Valy Ionescu (ROU)	Bucharest	1982-08-01[11]
7.21 m (23 ft 7 7⁄8 in)	0.6 m/s	Anişoara Cuşmir (ROU)	Bucharest	1983-05-15[11]
7.27 m (23 ft 10 1⁄4 in)	0.6 m/s	Anişoara Cuşmir (ROU)	Bucharest	1983-06-04[11]
7.43 m (24 ft 4 1⁄2 in)	1.4 m/s	Anişoara Cuşmir (ROU)	Bucharest	1983-06-04[11]
7.44 m (24 ft 4 15⁄16 in)	2.0 m/s	Heike Drechsler (GDR)	Berlin	1985-09-22[11]
7.45 m (24 ft 5 5⁄16 in)	0.9 m/s	Heike Drechsler (GDR)	Tallinn	1986-06-21[11]
7.45 m (24 ft 5 5⁄16 in)	1.1 m/s	Heike Drechsler (GDR)	Dresden	1986-07-03[11]
7.45 m (24 ft 5 5⁄16 in)	0.6 m/s	Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA)	Dresden	1987-08-13[11]
7.45 m (24 ft 5 5⁄16 in)	1.0 m/s	Galina Chistyakova (URS)	Leningrad	1988-06-11[11]
7.52 m (24 ft 8 1⁄16 in)	1.4 m/s	Galina Chistyakova (URS)	Leningrad	1988-06-11[11]

Source:^[12]

Top ten performers[link]

Accurate as of September 2, 2009.

Men[link]

Mark*	Wind**	Athlete	Nationality	Venue	Date
8.95 m (29 ft 4 3⁄8 in)	0.3	Mike Powell	United States	Tokyo	August 30, 1991
8.90 m (29 ft 2 3⁄8 in)A	2.0	Bob Beamon	United States	Mexico City	October 18, 1968
8.87 m (29 ft 1 3⁄16 in)	-0.2	Carl Lewis	United States	Tokyo	August 30, 1991
8.86 m (29 ft 13⁄16 in)A	1.9	Robert Emmiyan	Soviet Union	Tsakhkadzor	May 22, 1987
8.74 m (28 ft 8 1⁄8 in)	1.4	Larry Myricks	United States	Indianapolis	July 18, 1988
8.74 m (28 ft 8 1⁄8 in)A	2.0	Erick Walder	United States	El Paso	April 2, 1994
8.74 m (28 ft 8 1⁄8 in)	-1.2	Dwight Phillips	United States	Eugene	June 7, 2009
8.73 m (28 ft 7 11⁄16 in)	1.2	Irving Saladino	Panama	Hengelo	May 24, 2008
8.71 m (28 ft 6 15⁄16 in)	1.9	Iván Pedroso	Cuba	Salamanca	July 18, 1995
8.66 m (28 ft 4 15⁄16 in)	1.6	Loúis Tsátoumas	Greece	Kalamáta	June 2, 2007

A = Altitude (above 1000 metres)
Source:^[13]

Women[link]

Mark*	Wind**	Athlete	Nationality	Venue	Date
7.52 m (24 ft 8 1⁄16 in)	1.4	Galina Chistyakova	Soviet Union	Leningrad	June 11, 1988
7.49 m (24 ft 6 7⁄8 in)	1.3	Jackie Joyner-Kersee	United States	New York	May 22, 1994
7.48 m (24 ft 6 1⁄2 in)	1.2	Heike Drechsler	East Germany	Neubrandenburg	July 9, 1988
7.43 m (24 ft 4 1⁄2 in)	1.4	Anişoara Cuşmir	Romania	Bucharest	June 4, 1983
7.42 m (24 ft 4 1⁄8 in)	2.0	Tatyana Kotova	Russia	Annecy	June 23, 2002
7.39 m (24 ft 2 15⁄16 in)	0.5	Yelena Belevskaya	Soviet Union	Bryansk	July 18, 1987
7.37 m (24 ft 2 3⁄16 in)	N/A	Inessa Kravets	Ukraine	Kiev	June 13, 1992
7.33 m (24 ft 9⁄16 in)	0.4	Tatyana Lebedeva	Russia	Tula	July 31, 2004
7.31 m (23 ft 11 13⁄16 in)	1.5	Olena Khlopotnova	Soviet Union	Alma Ata	September 12, 1985
7.31 m (23 ft 11 13⁄16 in)	-0.1	Marion Jones	United States	Zürich	August 12, 1998

^*(meters), ^**(meters/second)
Source:^[14]

Best Year Performance[link]

Men's Seasons Best (Outdoor)[link]

Year	Distance	Athlete	Place
1960	8.21 m (26 ft 11 1⁄4 in)	Ralph Boston (USA)	Walnut
1961	8.28 m (27 ft 2 in)	Ralph Boston (USA)	Moscow
1962	8.31 m (27 ft 3 3⁄16 in)	Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS)	Yerevan
1963	8.20 m (26 ft 10 13⁄16 in)	Ralph Boston (USA)	Modesto
1964	8.34 m (27 ft 4 3⁄8 in)	Ralph Boston (USA)	Los Angeles
1965	8.35 m (27 ft 4 3⁄4 in)	Ralph Boston (USA)	Modesto
1966	8.23 m (27 ft 0 in)	Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS)	Leselidze
1967	8.35 m (27 ft 4 3⁄4 in)	Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS)	Mexico City
1968	8.90 m (29 ft 2 3⁄8 in)	Bob Beamon (USA)	Mexico City
1969	8.21 m (26 ft 11 1⁄4 in)	Igor Ter-Ovanesyan (URS)  Waldemar Stępień (POL)	Odessa Chorzów
1970	8.35 m (27 ft 4 3⁄4 in)	Josef Schwarz (FRG)	Stuttgart
1971	8.21 m (26 ft 11 1⁄4 in)	Norman Tate (USA)	El Paso
1972	8.23 m (27 ft 0 in)	Randy Williams (USA)	Munich
1973	8.24 m (27 ft 7⁄16 in)	James McAlister (USA)	Westwood
1974	8.30 m (27 ft 2 3⁄4 in)	Arnie Robinson (USA)	Modesto
1975	8.45 m (27 ft 8 11⁄16 in)	Nenad Stekić (YUG)	Montreal
1976	8.35 m (27 ft 4 3⁄4 in)	Arnie Robinson (USA)	Montreal
1977	8.27 m (27 ft 1 9⁄16 in)	Nenad Stekić (YUG)	Nova Gorica
1978	8.32 m (27 ft 3 9⁄16 in)	Nenad Stekić (YUG)	Rovereto
1979	8.52 m (27 ft 11 7⁄16 in)	Larry Myricks (USA)	Montreal
1980	8.54 m (28 ft 1⁄4 in)	Lutz Dombrowski (GDR)	Moscow
1981	8.62 m (28 ft 3 3⁄8 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Sacramento
1982	8.76 m (28 ft 8 7⁄8 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Indianapolis
1983	8.79 m (28 ft 10 1⁄16 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Indianapolis
1984	8.71 m (28 ft 6 15⁄16 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Westwood
1985	8.62 m (28 ft 3 3⁄8 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Brussels
1986	8.61 m (28 ft 3 in)	Robert Emmiyan (URS)	Moscow
1987	8.86 m (29 ft 13⁄16 in)	Robert Emmiyan (URS)	Tsakhkadzor
1988	8.76 m (28 ft 8 7⁄8 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Indianapolis
1989	8.70 m (28 ft 6 1⁄2 in)	Larry Myricks (USA)	Houston
1990	8.66 m (28 ft 4 15⁄16 in)	Mike Powell (USA)	Villeneuve d'Ascq
1991	8.95 m (29 ft 4 3⁄8 in)	Mike Powell (USA)	Tokyo
1992	8.68 m (28 ft 5 3⁄4 in)	Carl Lewis (USA)	Barcelona
1993	8.70 m (28 ft 6 1⁄2 in)	Mike Powell (USA)	Salamanca
1994	8.74 m (28 ft 8 1⁄8 in)	Erick Walder (USA)	El Paso
1995	8.71 m (28 ft 6 15⁄16 in)	Iván Pedroso (CUB)	Salamanca
1996	8.58 m (28 ft 1 13⁄16 in)	Erick Walder (USA)	Springfield
1997	8.63 m (28 ft 3 3⁄4 in)	Iván Pedroso (CUB)	Padua
1998	8.60 m (28 ft 2 9⁄16 in)	James Beckford (JAM)	Bad Langensalza
1999	8.60 m (28 ft 2 9⁄16 in)	Iván Pedroso (CUB)	Padua
2000	8.65 m (28 ft 4 9⁄16 in)	Iván Pedroso (CUB)	Jena
2001	8.41 m (27 ft 7 1⁄8 in)	James Beckford (JAM)	Turin
2002	8.52 m (27 ft 11 7⁄16 in)	Savanté Stringfellow (USA)	Palo Alto
2003	8.53 m (27 ft 11 13⁄16 in)	Yago Lamela (ESP)	Castellón de la Plana
2004	8.60 m (28 ft 2 9⁄16 in)	Dwight Phillips (USA)	Linz
2005	8.60 m (28 ft 2 9⁄16 in)	Dwight Phillips (USA)	Helsinki
2006	8.56 m (28 ft 1 in)	Irving Saladino (PAN)	Rio de Janeiro
2007	8.66 m (28 ft 4 15⁄16 in)	Louis Tsatoumas (GRE)	Kalamáta
2008	8.73 m (28 ft 7 11⁄16 in)	Irving Saladino (PAN)	Hengelo
2009	8.74 m (28 ft 8 1⁄8 in)	Dwight Phillips (USA)	Eugene
2010	8.47 m (27 ft 9 7⁄16 in)	Christian Reif (GER)	Barcelona
2011	8.54 m (28 ft 1⁄4 in)	Mitchell Watt (AUS)	Stockholm