Mexico City, October 1968, Games of the XIX Olympiad: Robert "Bob" BEAMON, USA, winner of the long jump event with an incredible jump of 8.90m, a world record which was not broken until 1991. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections

Other names: BEAMON, Robert

Born: 29 August 1946

Birthplace: Jamaïca, NY (United States)

Nationality: United States

Sport: Athletics

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Mexico 1968

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Details

Other results:

Pan American Games

Silver: 1 (67)

Beamonesque

Bob Beamon established himself as the favourite in the 1968 long jump by winning 22 of 23 meets in the pre-Olympic season. He almost met with disaster in the qualifying round. After fouling his first two attempts, he had only one try left. His teammate, Ralph Boston, advised Beamon to start his jump several centimetres before the takeoff board. Beamon followed this advice and qualified easily. The final was held the following day, 18 October. At that time, the world record was 8.35m, or 27 feet 4 ¾ inches. Beamon's first jump was so long that the optical measuring device slid off its rail before it reached Beamon's point of impact. Using an old-fashioned steel tape, the officials announced the distance as 8.90m. Beamon did not understand the metric system. When the distance was finally converted to 29 feet 2 ½ inches, Beamon was overcome by emotion and collapsed. It had taken 33 years for the long jump world record to progress 22 centimetres. In a matter of seconds, Bob Beamon had added another 55 centimetres. His achievement inspired a new word in the English language : Beamonesque, meaning an athletic feat so dramatically superior to previous feats that it overwhelms the imagination.