One of the more glamorous Olympic events, the names of the great long jump champions shine brightly in Olympic history. Jesse Owens. Bob Beamon. Carl Lewis. Will the next Olympic champion join that pantheon of immortals?
About Olympic Long Jump:
The simple-looking event is anything but. Runners must hit the takeoff board in perfect stride - without fouling - and at full speed to have any hope of achieving Olympic glory.
Olympic Long Jump History:
Americans have dominated this event like few other. The U.S. has won 22 of the 25 Olympics in which it has competed and has never gone two Olympics in a row without taking the long jump gold medal.
Action Image Gallery:
Watch long jumpers soar through the air and land in a cloud of dust in this image gallery.
The Athletes:
Take a look at the top 2008 Olympic long jump hopefuls, from the U.S. and around the world, then catch up with some familiar names from the past with these selections.
