Whats up with mens long jump? These guys just seem so dismal

[Paul Henry]

Its been over 30yrs since Bob almost cleared the pit , Ivan's done so too are Carl, and Mike (obviously) and still the current compettitors aren't consistently landing in the 8 50s. Its such a heart ache to watch. This really is serious since 100m sprinters have made sub-ten times a consistent staple for fans since the early 8os. Please I know Irvin is doing his thing but it still a concern.

Hit me!!

[scottmitchell74]

I've been lamenting this as well.

[imaginative]

Forget about Bob as a reference. The first true 8.60+ long jumper was
Carl. Further, cut out all altitude, windy, and tokyo 1991 jumps, and
Irvin's world lead is very, very good.

That said, the standard _has_ dropped somewhat. Possible explanations
include an accidental talent concentration in the eighties/nineties,
basket ball, the d-word, ... However, this goes for many other events,
including the high jump.

Generally, a speed increase need not lead to longer jumps. The speed
has to be converted in a controlled manner. It is hard to reach top
speed during a normal run-up. etc. Controlled speed is more important
than top speed.

[Javelin-dave]

I know how you feel! I love watching the long jump, but at the moment apart from Saladino nobody is really landing any "big" jumps. I heard a rumour Savante Stringfellow was making a return to competition. Also does anybody know what happened to Yago Lamela?

[lonewolf]

Paul, on another thread you mentioned that you are a long jumper, You do not give your LJ PB. but I am confident you know well how difficult it is for mortals to jump 25 or 26 feet, even if you have above average speed and "ups". There are some superb athletes who cannot do it. 27 footers are relatively common but only a handful of men have cleared 29' and only a double handfull are over 28'. Virtually none, except Lewis, consistently had 28 foot series and none were as fast as Lewis.

I am sure there are athletes out there capable of jumping 28-29 feet but they are busy doing other, potentially more profitable things.

I suspect world class sprinters, who would have a built in advantange. shy away from LJ because of the risk of injury. I don't see anything sinister in this. If they can be competitive in the glamour event with the biggest payday and finish their days work in 10 seconds, there is little incentive to spend two hours and six bone-jarring, foul prone, 40 meter trips down the runway ending with a jock full of sand.

Beamon's Mexico City jump was an abberation, an anomaly. He did not trhreaten 28 feet before or after that jump.

Jumping 28 feet requires the serendipitious convergence of speed, lift, optimum trajectory, wind, skill/luck hitting the board perfectly and optimum extension on landing. It just doesn't happen routinely and. lamentably, currently seldom happens at all.
.

[Steeplechaser]

Forget about Bob as a reference. The first true 8.60+ long jumper was
Carl. Further, cut out all altitude, windy, and tokyo 1991 jumps, and
Irvin's world lead is very, very good..

I'm curious--what's wrong with jumps from Tokyo? (By that I mean genuinely curious--I have no clue and I'm not trying to defend them.)

[Paul Henry]

Paul, on another thread you mentioned that you are a long jumper, You do not give your LJ PB. but I am confident you know well how difficult it is for mortals to jump 25 or 26 feet, even if you have above average speed and "ups". There are some superb athletes who cannot do it. 27 footers are relatively common but only a handful of men have cleared 29' and only a double handfull are over 28'. Virtually none, except Lewis, consistently had 28 foot series and none were as fast as Lewis.

I suspect world class sprinters, who would have a built in advantange. shy away from LJ because of the risk of injury. If they can be competitive in the glamour event with the biggest payday and finish their days work in 10 seconds, there is little incentive to spend two hours and six bone-jarring, foul prone, 40 meter trips down the runway ending with a jock full of sand.

Jumping 28 feet requires the serendipitious convergence of speed, lift, optimum trajectory, wind, skill/luck hitting the board perfectly and optimum extension on landing. It just doesn't happen routinely and currently seldom happens at all.
.

Well thanks for asking: A very modest 7.57. I am mulling your other comments at the moment, slight system overload (lol). I do support some of your reasoning since back in the days a lot of LJers were also 4x100 reserves or starts.

[lonewolf]

I am not aware of any actual or alleged problem with the 1991 Tokyo dual. Can't blame it on altitude or questionable calls; just the two best jumpers in history going at it.

[scottmitchell74]

I suspect world class sprinters, who would have a built in advantange. shy away from LJ because of the risk of injury

So true. It's not a "money" sport....even in the T & F World.

Eric Metcalf was a great collegiate LJ but of course made his fortune as an NFL scat-back do it all guy.

Potential 28, 29+ LJs are forever being lost to basketball, football, sprinting, etc...

[marknhj]

I am not aware of any actual or alleged problem with the 1991 Tokyo dual. Can't blame it on altitude or questionable calls; just the two best jumpers in history going at it.

Some have alleged that the track was illegal in the context of it's "hardness" and was built as such specifically to get fast sprint times and long jumps (and, if that was the case, whoever built it was very successful...)

[Paul Henry]

I am not aware of any actual or alleged problem with the 1991 Tokyo dual. Can't blame it on altitude or questionable calls; just the two best jumpers in history going at it.

Some have alleged that the track was illegal in the context of it's "hardness" and was built as such specifically to get fast sprint times and long jumps (and, if that was the case, whoever built it was very successful...)

OK!!

[lonewolf]

The key word is "alleged". If runways can be constructed to enable men to jump 29 feet, they would be built.

MIke Powell did not need a special runway to jump 29'. I was working the scope at Houston TAC in 1989 when POwell had a 29-4, quarter inch foul off the same runway from which Lewis routinely jumped 28.
The jump could not, of course, be officially measured or recorded but nothing prevented me from sliding the scope out for an umarked reading.

[imaginative]

I add that I have no definite personal opinion concerning Tokyo, but
the topic creeps up sufficiently often that it is worthy of mention.
(And no matter the legality, that was a very special day.)

Powell, by the way, is a good illustration of the top speed vs.
controlled speed (or more generally top effort vs. controlled effort)
issue: To match Lewis lengthwise he had to use less control. This in
turn lead to more erratic jumping and less championships won---but
with a WR as compensation.