Men's long jump 2009 [split]

[Jon]

I just had a look at the top-ten lists for the new millenium and a few select
years of the past. The way things are heading, this could eventually be the
best single season in history. Counting indoors, it might even
already be a candidate.

It is going to be hard to beat 1991.

1991 was an unremarkable season in terms of depth.

The best no. 10 ever was 8.35 in 1997. This year, 7 guys have already jumped that or more, so it's possible the season could be as good or better.
The current season's no. 10 is 8.28, which is already better than last year's 8.25 at the end of the season.

Following on from the discussion on another thread, I just thought I'd make a split-off topic about the mLJ because the depth in that event this year is staggering. Even before the competition in Madrid, the marks being put up were pretty astounding, but since yesterday things have gone through the roof. The world list looks something like:

1) 8.74/1.2 Dwight Phillips (USA) Eugene OR Jun 7
2) 8.71i Sebastian Bayer (GER) Turin Mar 8
3) 8.63/0.4 Irving Saladino (PAN) Eugene OR Jun 7
----- 8.56/0.8 Saladino Hengelo Jun 1
----- 8.54/0.9 Phillips Hengelo Jun 1
----- 8.51/1.8 Phillips Baie Mahault May 1
4) 8.50/1.3 Godfrey Mokoena (RSA) Madrid Jul 4
----- 8.49/1.9 Bayer Ulm Jul 4
5) 8.42/0.4 Salim Sdiri (FRA) Pierre-Bénite Jun 12
6) 8.38/0.6 Yahya Berrabah (MAR) Rabat May 23
----- 8.37/-0.7 Phillips Carson CA May 16
7) 8.35/1.3 Fabrice Lapierre (AUS) Madrid Jul 4
8) 8.34/2.0 Mitchell Watt (AUS) Madrid Jul 4
----- 8.33/0.9 Mokoena Kalamáta May 30
----- 8.33/1.0 Mokoena Berlin Jun 14
----- 8.33/1.8 Mokoena Ostrava Jun 17
9) 8.30/0.6 Ibrahim Camejo (CUB) Malles Jun 28

Wind assisted:
----- 8.57/2.2 Phillips Eugene OR Jun 27
----- 8.57/3.6 Lapierre Madrid Jul 4
----- 8.43/4.0 Saladino Madrid Jul 4
----- 8.38/2.8 Watt Madrid Jul 4


And we're still six weeks away from the World Championships! Apart from the depth, it just seems like a genuinely more interesting event this year too. Saladino, who has dominated in recent years, has been jumping well but has suffered a couple of losses and will be hard pushed to defend his WCh title. Then there's Dwight Phillips who has bounced back from a couple of low years to rediscover his best ever form and has lost only once this year. Not forgetting, of course, Sebastian Bayer who some believed would not be able to back up his indoor 8.71m, but did so yesterday at the German Champs with an 8.49m jump. Mokoena has only lost twice all year and had three 8.33m competitions in a row before his great series in Madrid where he set an African record of 8.50m. Then behind these four, there's a handful of guys like Sdiri, Berrabah and the two Aussies (Lapierre and Watt) who have surprised us with their 8.40/8.30 jumps and are genuine medal outsiders for Berlin.

Granted, the wind and slight altitude of Madrid helped, but yesterday's competition was epic. The US champs was also great (although again, assisted by the wind) with seven guys over eight metres - been a while since that last happened. Even the juniors have been in great form, with three over 8m and two over 8.15m so far this year.

The LJ has definitely become way more exciting this year and it's going to be one the events I look forward to most in Berlin.

[pela2]

From the "other" thread

Most >= 8.20m jumps in a competition (as in my database)

• 17 Madrid 2009 5
  14 New York City 1991 4
  13 Sestriere 1992 5
  13 Sestriere 1994 6
  12 Indianapolis 1987 3
  12 Indianapolis 1988 5
  12 Tokyo 1991 4
  12 Eugene 1993 5
  12 Sestriere 1996 7

(last digit = number of jumpers)

[steve]

Re: Men's long jump 2009 [split]

The LJ has definitely become way more exciting this year and it's going to be one the events I look forward to most in Berlin.

I'm glad you started this thread, and I was just thinking the same thing. I haven't been this excited about the LJ since Lewis/Myricks and Lewis/Powell eras! Even Marquise Goodwin had a big high school year (too bad for track and field he's great at football).

[dal4018]

Re: Men's long jump 2009 [split]

The LJ has definitely become way more exciting this year and it's going to be one the events I look forward to most in Berlin.

I'm glad you started this thread, and I was just thinking the same thing. I haven't been this excited about the LJ since Lewis/Myricks and Lewis/Powell eras! Even Marquise Goodwin had a big high school year (too bad for track and field he's great at football).

I'll assume Brian Johnson will be on the sidelines watching he's another with greatness running through him but has yet to capitalize on it.

[mikli]

In terms of top100 and top20 averages, mid-1990s were the best seasons in LJ. 2009 is not yet at that level, but it may be on its way there.

http://mb.trackandfieldnews.com/discuss ... hp?t=31194

[gh]

The best part about the year in long jumping would be for Bayer to win in Berlin. They'd bring the stadium down.

[Chrome Dome]

Re: Men's long jump 2009 [split]

Even Marquise Goodwin had a big high school year (too bad for track and field he's great at football).

Not Goodwin too! I can understand why, but as a track fan it is so frustrating to lose so much talent to football! :x

Robert Griffen and Jeff Demps are the best recent examples, but this has gone on forever, I guess, with Nehemiah possibly the worst example. (At least Hayes won a gold medal first ! ). So much lost talent. I suppose Goodwin is going on a football scholarship.

I really enjoy football, but......
please leave some talent for T & F!
:cry:

[Powell]

If I remember correctly from Bydgoszcz, Goodwin is pretty small - he doesn't look like a football player.

[mike renfro]

The best part about the year in long jumping would be for Bayer to win in Berlin. They'd bring the stadium down.

I don't expect him to win, but should that happen, I hope they will let me leave the stadium before they bring it down :shock:

Actually, Bayer validated the indoor mark with his NC jump.

[tandfman]

I suspect that any medal will get the locals pretty excited.

[Neville L.]

I suspect that any medal will get the locals pretty excited.

I hope that's true, and the media coverage for the Championships starts to increase here in Germany. However, Bayer and Nytra are certainly in the centre of the articles (even more so than Friedrich, though she gets a lot of press coverage as well), particularly after the NC and their almost Hollywood-like "happy ending". So if Bayer wins a medal, I think it will get even more attention, than some of the others might get, (except perhaps Friedrich and Schrader).

However, I am somewhat doubtful, that he will, because the track in Berlin isn't very fast, and he got his best results on fast tracks, so far. I do think, that there's a big chance, that he will get his outdoor medal and maybe even an Outdoor gold medal at one point, I just don't really think, that it will be in Berlin. I'd love to be mistaken, though.

[Powell]

If I remember correctly from Bydgoszcz, Goodwin is pretty small - he doesn't look like a football player.

I looked it up and according to the ATFS Annual, he's 1.73. Can such a small guy possibly be successful in football?

[EPelle]

It wouldn't be unheard of. Napolean Kaufman, another track standout, is/was 1.75m when he competed as an RB and periodical kick-returner for Oakland.

[lonewolf]

If I remember correctly from Bydgoszcz, Goodwin is pretty small - he doesn't look like a football player.

I looked it up and according to the ATFS Annual, he's 1.73. Can such a small guy possibly be successful in football?

Ever hear of Barry Sanders?

[Powell]

Ever hear of Barry Sanders?

Can't say I have :?