We explain what the long jump is in athletics, its history, rules and methods of measurement. Also, what is the current world record.
What is the long jump?
The long jump or long jump It is an athletics test which is part of the Olympic Games, both in its female and male versions. Athletes try travel the greatest amount of horizontal surface, after jumping with momentum that is, a jump at the end of a short race.
The fall is usually softened by a smooth sand bank, on which the competitors leave their footprints, so that the judges can later measure the distance traveled.
As a sport, the long jump is made up of three phases or stages, which make up the athletic technique:
- The race phase. In which competitors run at maximum speed over a surface of 16 to 20 meters (50 in Olympic competitions), to take as much clean and jerk as possible in preparation for the jump.
- The impulse phase. In which the athlete tries to push off, that is, jump vertically, without losing the clean and jerk accumulated during the race, to reach good speed in the next phase. To do this, a penultimate step that is longer than the rest and a short last step is usually taken for the jump.
- The suspension phase. Also called the “flight phase”, it is the stage in which the athlete is in the air, from the jump to his fall in the sand, and in which he will ideally cover a good portion of ground. This phase culminates when the first part of your body touches the ground, leaving a mark that is considered the measurement point. However, you must be careful to lean your torso forward, since a hand left behind will delay the mark considered by the judges by centimeters.
See also: Sport
History of the long jump
The long jump It has been among the Olympic disciplines since its edition in Athens 1896 that is, from the first modern edition. However, the women's version of the long jump was practiced for the first time in history at the 1948 London Olympics.
On the other hand, there is evidence that it was already practiced in the Ancient Olympic Games, since 708 BC. C., within the test known as pentathlon. Initially, ancient athletes performed the jump with small barbells or weights, which are not used today.
However, the long jump is one of the Olympic disciplines that has changed the least over time. The current technique began to be used in 1925 and its greatest exponent was the North American Hart Hubbart, with a record of 7.89 meters, which took 10 years to be broken by the also American Jesse Owens, who reached 8 meters.
Long jump rules
The long jump is considered null If the athlete:
- Jump after the plank or takeoff mark, which indicates where the jump should be made.
- Tap the indicator and the imprint remains on the soft surface.
- Modify or touch the marks left by his body in the sand.
- Perform somersaults or pirouettes.
- It takes more time of the stipulated for the performance of the jump.
- Leaves marks on the surrounding terraincloser to the take-off area than its own mark on the sand.
Long jump measurement
Measuring distance traveled It is done from the jumping platform to the nearest edge of the mark left in the sand whatever part of the body left it. To do this, a tape measure is used, and after the measurement is taken, the sand is flattened again for the next competitor.
Each athlete has three jumps, that is, three different opportunities, from which the best result is taken into consideration. If there is a tie, the second best attempt will determine the winner.
Long jump without momentum
The long jump without impulse or long jump without impulse is a test similar to the one described so far, which It was practiced for the first time at the 1900 Paris Olympics and remained in force during the following three editions: San Luis 1904, London 1908 and Stockholm 1912, as well as in the Intercalated Games in Athens in 1906.
It was characterized by the same set of rules as the running long jump, but in this case The athlete stood in front of the sandbar and had to jump without taking any kind of momentum with feet together and body rigid. The great winner in this version was the American Ray Ewry, winner of four gold medals.
Current long jump world record
Currently, the long jump world record belongs to the following athletes:
- Mike Powell (United States) with 8.95 meters obtained in Tokyo 1991.
- Galina Chistiakova (Soviet Union) with 7.52 meters obtained in Leningrad 1988.
Continue with: Basketball
References
- “Long jump” on Wikipedia.
- “Long Jump Summary” at the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo.
- “Long jump” at the Valencian Community Athletics Federation (Spain).
- “The rules of the long jump” in Physical Education 4°A Giner de los Ríos.
- “History of the long jump” in Foro Atletismo.
