One event, each day, to help make sense of the Olympics.
Versions of the triple jump have existed since the ancient Olympic games, but we are now well past the era of the early 20th century “standing” triple jump, in which athletes would have to propel themselves forward with no run-up. Now, triple jumpers sprint 40 metres down a track, and with a hop, skip and jump, launch themselves up to 18.26 metres – a record set by Team GB’s Jonathan Edwards in 1995 and not bettered since. The “hop” sees the athlete propel themselves forward from the take-off board, land on the same foot in the “skip” phase, before finally the “jump’” on the opposite leg into the sandpit.
