Greatest Moments In Olympic Triple Jump

1. 1896 - First modern Olympic champion

American James Connolly won the initial event in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, becoming the first Olympic champion in 1527 years. Instead of hopping, stepping and jumping, Connolly actually hopped twice and then jumped, which was legal at that time. His jump of 44 feet, 11-¾ inches (13.71 meters) beat the silver medalist by more than three feet.

2. 1968 - Five jumpers destroy record book

The men’s world record of 55 feet, 10-½ inches (17.03 meters) took a beating in 1968 as the top five competitors all shattered the old mark. Eventual bronze medal winner Guiseppe Gentile of Italy set the tone during qualifying with a leap measuring 56-1¼. Gentile then jumped 56-6 in the first round of the final. Viktor Saneyev of the USSR jumped past Gentile at 56-6½ in the third round. Brazil’s Nelson Prudenco leaped 56-8 in the fifth round to take the lead, but he had to settle for silver when Saneyev’s final jump measured 57-¾. American Arthur Walker (56-2) and Nikolai Dudkin (56-1) of the Soviet Union also beat the former world record but still placed fourth and fifth, respectively.