Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point. Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance as a group are referred to as the "horizontal jumps". This event has a history in the ancient Olympic Games and has been a modern Olympic event for men since the first Olympics in 1896 and for women since 1948.
Rules
At the elite level, competitors run down a runway and jump as far as they can from a wooden or synthetic board, 20 centimetres or eight inches wide, that is built flush with the runway, into a pit filled with soft damp sand. If the competitor starts the leap with any part of the foot past the foul line, the jump is declared a foul and no distance is recorded. To detect this occurrence, a layer of plasticine is placed at a 90° angle immediately after the board. An official will also watch the jump and make the determination. In recent times, camera technology and laser sensors have replaced the plasticine at elite competitions. The competitor can initiate the jump from any point behind the foul line; however, the distance measured will always be perpendicular from the foul line to the nearest break in the sand caused by any part of the body or uniform. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the competitor to get as close to the foul line as possible. Competitors are allowed to place two marks along the side of the runway in order to assist them to jump accurately. At a lesser meet and facilities, the plasticine will likely not exist, the runway might be a different surface or jumpers may initiate their jump from a painted or taped mark on the runway. At a smaller meet, the number of attempts might also be limited to four or three.Each competitor has a set number of attempts. That would normally be three trials, with three additional jumps being awarded to the best eight or nine competitors. All valid attempts will be recorded but only the best mark counts towards the results. The competitor with the longest valid jump is declared the winner at the end of competition. In the event of an exact tie, then comparing the next best jumps of the tied competitors will be used to determine place. In a large, multi-day elite competition, a qualification is held in order to select at least twelve finalists. Ties and automatic qualifying distances are potential factors. The qualification usually takes place in two groups, with each competitor having three attempts. In the final, a set of three trial rounds will be held, with the best eight performers advancing to the final rounds. At the 2025 World Championships, the international athletics governing body World Athletics added a new procedure. After the three trial round jumps in the final, the top ten received an additional fourth attempt, the subsequent top eight a fifth attempt and the subsequent top six a final sixth attempt.
For record purposes, the maximum accepted wind assistance is.
Take-off-zone reform
considered fundamental rule changes to the long jump. In a test phase that began with the 2025 indoor season, athletes took off from a wider zone instead of the traditional take-off board. This new 40-centimetre take-off zone was introduced by World Athletics to reduce the number of invalid attempts which had become common in recent years. The international athletics governing body was convinced that the new take-off zone would not only improve fairness and excitement for the athletes but also provide a more thrilling experience for the spectators.Traditionally, the jump distance is measured perpendicularly from the foul line to the nearest break in the sand. Under the new trial, the measurement was instead taken from the exact point where the jumper's front foot left the zone. Consequently, the effective jump distance determined the outcome of the competition.
During the test phase, the jumps were also recorded according to the traditional rules and were therefore eligible for records and top lists.
On 5 December 2025, World Athletics announced that the testing phase had been completed and the reform had been ditched.
History
The long jump is the only known jumping event of ancient Greece's original Olympics' pentathlon events. All events that occurred at the Olympic Games were initially supposed to act as a form of training for warfare. The long jump emerged probably because it mirrored the crossing of obstacles such as streams and ravines. After investigating the surviving depictions of the ancient event it is believed that unlike the modern event, athletes were only allowed a short running start. The athletes carried a weight in each hand, which were called halteres. These weights were swung forward as the athlete jumped in order to increase momentum. It was commonly believed that the jumper would throw the weights behind him in midair to increase his forward momentum; however, halteres were held throughout the duration of the jump. Swinging them down and back at the end of the jump would change the athlete's center of gravity and allow the athlete to stretch his legs outward, increasing his distance. The jump itself was made from the bater. It was most likely a simple board placed on the stadium track which was removed after the event. The jumpers would land in what was called a skamma. The idea that this was a pit full of sand is wrong. Sand in the jumping pit is a modern invention. The skamma was simply a temporary area dug up for that occasion and not something that remained over time.The long jump was considered one of the most difficult of the events held at the Games since a great deal of skill was required. Music was often played during the jump and Philostratus says that pipes at times would accompany the jump so as to provide a rhythm for the complex movements of the halteres by the athlete. Philostratus is quoted as saying, "The rules regard jumping as the most difficult of the competitions, and they allow the jumper to be given advantages in rhythm by the use of the flute, and in weight by the use of the halter." Most notable in the ancient sport was a man called Chionis, who in the 656 BC Olympics staged a jump of.
There has been some argument by modern scholars over the long jump. Some have attempted to recreate it as a triple jump. The images provide the only evidence for the action so it is more well received that it was much like today's long jump. The main reason some want to call it a triple jump is the presence of a source that claims there once was a fifty-five ancient foot jump done by a man named Phayllos.
The long jump has been part of modern Olympic competition since the inception of the Games in 1896. In 1914, Dr. Harry Eaton Stewart recommended the "running broad jump" as a standardized track and field event for women. However, it was not until 1948 that the women's long jump was added to the Olympic athletics programme.
Technique
There are five main components of the long jump: the approach run, the last two strides, takeoff, action in the air, and landing. Speed in the run-up, or approach, and a high leap off the board are the fundamentals of success. Because speed is such an important factor of the approach, it is not surprising that many long jumpers also compete successfully in sprints. Classic examples of this long jump / sprint doubling are performances by Carl Lewis and Heike Drechsler.Approach
The objective of the approach is to gradually accelerate to a maximum controlled speed at takeoff. The most important factor for the distance travelled by an object is its velocity at takeoff – both the speed and angle. Elite jumpers usually leave the ground at an angle of 20° or less; therefore, it is more beneficial for a jumper to focus on the speed component of the jump. The greater the speed at takeoff, the longer the trajectory of the center of mass will be. The importance of takeoff speed is a factor in the success of sprinters in this event.The length of the approach is usually consistent distance for an athlete. Approaches can vary between 12 and 19 steps on the novice and intermediate levels, while at the elite level they are closer to between 20 and 22 steps. The exact distance and number of steps in an approach depends on the jumper's experience, sprinting technique, and conditioning level. Consistency in the approach is important as it is the competitor's objective to get as close to the front of the takeoff board as possible without crossing the line with any part of the foot.
Last two steps
The objective of the last two steps is to prepare the body for takeoff while conserving as much speed as possible.The penultimate step is longer than the previous ones and than the final one before takeoff. The competitor begins to lower his or her center of gravity to prepare the body for the vertical impulse. The last step is shorter because the body is beginning to raise the center of gravity in preparation for takeoff.
The last two steps are extremely important because they determine the velocity at which the competitor will enter the jump.
Takeoff
The objective of the takeoff is to create a vertical impulse through the athlete's center of gravity while maintaining balance and control.This phase is one of the most technical parts of the long jump. Jumpers must be conscious to place the foot flat on the ground, because jumping off either the heels or the toes negatively affects the jump. Taking off from the board heel-first has a braking effect, which decreases velocity and strains the joints. Jumping off the toes decreases stability, putting the leg at risk of buckling or collapsing from underneath the jumper. While concentrating on foot placement, the athlete must also work to maintain proper body position, keeping the torso upright and moving the hips forward and up to achieve the maximum distance from board contact to foot release.
There are four main styles of takeoff: the double-arm style, the kick style, the power sprint or bounding takeoff, and the sprint takeoff.