The Story Behind Bob Beamon's Long Jump Olympic Record | Olympics On The Record

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One of the greatest moments in Olympic Games history sees Bob Beamon's era-defying leap win long jump gold at Mexico City 1968.
The most famous Olympic Records are presented in entertaining packages using recreations, animations and a mix of other visual methods: bit.do/EN-OTR
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[@felixwells9751]

These videos are great but there could have been a bit more added to this one. like when the score was first announced Beamon did not know how far he jumped because he didn’t know the metric system. And also how his legs gave way and he suffered a cataplexy attack because of the emotional shock.

[@VirtuelleWeltenMitKhan]

ah thx for the additional info ..

[@sealand000]

He doesn't need to know the metric system... he just needs to know he posted a bigger number, a much bigger number

[@shazzthedon]

That’s racist

[@abdihassan7208]

Americans for you HAHA

[@markrobinson1135]

I agree, I wish there was less graphs and more action. But otherwise I'm glad I watched this video

[@AussieDad79]

Great videos but the cartoons bring down the inspiring moment.

[@voloo8672]

they are so annoying

[@tomsaywell1238]

IKR

[@tim.noonan]

Watch Jon Bois’s ‘The Bob Emergency: Part 2’ on SB Nation’s KZbin page. Bob Beamon’s story is the first part of the video so you don’t have to watch the whole thing, but please watch the clip about Beamon’s record jump, it’s beautiful.

[@evab.6240]

The cartoon was really cute lol. But I agree, it's not very appropriate for such a serious and inspiring video.

[@MarioJPav]

@@tim.noonan JonBois Gang 4 life

[@higherpower254]

Guy added 2ft to the WR.

[@matthewwong1384]

BASED POPPA PUMP why no comments on this I’m first... after 6 momth

[@punanilover4934]

@@matthewwong1384 do you want a medal for that or something???

[@ottoneiii4353]

because none knows what a foot is

[@markharris5107]

For many years, whenever you would ask someone, "What is the greatest single athletic feat in history" the answer was usually "Bob Beamon's jump." It was truly unbelievable. I watched that Olympics as a boy and it was just phenomenal. And his reaction just added to the legend.

[@rogerhwerner6997]

I remember watching Beamon make his jump. Even before he landed, it was clear that something incredible had occurred because his leap was so much further then anyone else. That was 52 years ago and the memory remains very clear.

[@haroldhumerickhouse8731]

I still have the newspaper clippings from that Olympics.

[@user-lq9eb2ys9p]

​@@haroldhumerickhouse8731,его фото в журнале Ровесник.

[@Rayq007]

Funny you should say that. Joe Biden said he was there with his friend (no joke) cornpop and even helped measure the jump (no joke).

[@hvymettle]

I attended Jamaica HS in the mid-70's and the first time I attended gym class I looked up at the Wall of Fame and saw Robert Beamon's name next to the long jump and triple jump, which were both state records at the time. I asked the gym teacher if that was the same Bob Beamon who jumped over 29 feet in the 1968 Olympics and he said yes. Was inspiring to tread the same boards that his feet once graced.

[@56postoffice]

His jump is still an Olympic record, 53 years on.

[@reubenjoseph7228]

"In qualifying he jumped 8.19 which was not enough to send alarm bells ringing" 8.19 would have got him the silver medal 😂

[@srzjumper]

maybe they don't transfer over the qualifying jump to the final? that seems not right though

[@sharat77]

@ Reuben Joseph - I just checked the Wiki for the numbers posted during qualifiers. Among the thirty five compatriots, Bob stood overall second after his third attempt. So either way, at the BARE minimum he would have bagged a SILVER. Well, trying to get a little technical here, though I am not fully sure, if my understanding is correct. If two individuals record the same distance than the person who achieved the distance after the first one is declared the winner - I am not sure about the rationale behind that nor how does it make sense if you were simply the first person among all to take the leap and than imagine this: And, you happen to be the first person to 'go the distance'. That is pure UNLUCK and nothing to do with SKILL though. Anyway, I do understand that I am complicating matters that to after the fact (i.e. event has already transpired). But, I would love to hear expert opinion.

[@dominikbaumgartner9221]

Actually, he would have been tied for 1st and therefore would still have won the gold medal.

[@shazzthedon]

@@dominikbaumgartner9221 actually he would have won gold and tied for silver

[@Profitfromcoaching]

@@sharat77 qualifying round times don't count in finals. Even if you set a world record qualifying but during the finals, usually the next day, you do badly and don't make top 3 then you don't medal.

[@RURALWARROOM]

Good report but the cartoons are unnecessary. They dumb the whole presentation down severely. Reconsider in the future, eh?

[@niallyshere]

what are you talking about? i didn't have a clue what was happening until the cartoons came on.

[@TpolTime]

Niall Condren I really hope this is sarcasm

[@jimgordon6700]

What a beautiful moment. I watched it on TV at the time, and I was almost as blown away as he was. Wonderful! And thanks for putting this where I can see it again (and again, and...).

[@johnnymarcedocl5395]

the recording looks beautiful, i love how film looks

[@JazzRadioFfm]

I think the people here don't really get that "drinking" was not the main thing they were talking about.

[@meldeebueno]

JazzRadioFfm Yep. Some people don't get it. Like the comment above yours. It's $3x is what the video is talking about.

[@prez902]

JazzRadioFfm Oh my god how did I not realize

[@tide8601]

You know. He jumped further because he really emptied himself that nights ;)

[@campkira]

@@tide8601 50 cm more that his best.. hang on a min.... in today world that only mean one thing....

[@jaykang2742]

Two balls lighter xd

[@echom8138]

One of my favorite sports to watch. So crazy how far these athletes can jump.

[@mielvanvelzen5967]

Dude went to town at night and shattered world records during the day.

[@gk10002000]

Still one of the greatest performances of all time as he exceeded the previous records by an unimaginable amount

[@gpholtz]

Amazing how many World Records were broken in this single Olympics, and how long they survived!!!

[@10timesover42]

Second place came second by 71cm

[@Pradeep.Poonia]

HIs record still holds. Athletics Long jump World Mike Powell 8.95 m (29 ft 4 1⁄4 in) (1991) Olympic Bob Beamon 8.90 m (29 ft 2 1⁄4 in) (1968)

[@drvissierl1404]

But 8.90 meters is less than 8.95 meters so his record doesn’t still stand right?

[@drvissierl1404]

His olympic record still stands but the world record doesn’t.

[@douglascowieson5395]

I remember watching the jump when I was a boy and going to school the next day and measuring out the jump in the Jim. It was 29 feet and 2 and a quarter inches. Unbelievable! Still the Olympic record and he broke the Olympic record set by Jesse Owen’s in 1936. I think it was the greatest achievement in athletics in the twentieth century

[@timn4481]

these videos are exceptional. just watched three in a row. im a big and long time fan of the sport..you've done your homework.

[@tommyharris5817]

The quality of the video is fantastic

[@shubhamde3205]

It's still a mystery that how he was able to jump to a staggering 8.90m. Mike Powell's jump was also dramatic when he broke the record as on the same day Carl Lewis also broke the 8.90 metres mark

[@srzjumper]

You have to remember several key factors 1) perfect take-off on the board (usually jumpers leave 10-30cm) 2) maximum wind 2.0m/s (probably adds another half foot to one foot/ .3m), then 3) the high altitude 4) finally there was storm brewing right before this which made for optimal jumping conditions. It was the PERFECT jump.

[@anonymouswombat2354]

Look at The Bob Emergency (on KZbin). It covers Beamon's jump in a really dramatic and impactful way. It blew me away.

[@djbvas6965]

Its been 50 years since that record 🔥

[@oldgrumpy4601]

This was my favorite trivia question for years “The world record for the long jump is 29 feet 2 and some odd inches how many people have jumped 28 feet?” The answer was Zero

[@Mariocraft97]

@mksrookies not really, since his last record was 27 feet something. You would ve correct if the question was "how many have jumped 28feet or more? " but considering no jump had been recorded at 28feet something yet his trivia holds true.

[@blackmamba1261]

This trivia is wrong. It's not zero; plenty of people have done it. It's just it hasn't been done at the OLYMPICS

[@Profitfromcoaching]

@@blackmamba1261 name any 2 of the plenty outside Beamon, Powell or Lewis

[@PolkiSaMalutkie]

"The jump was literally off the scale." What a guy. Much respect from London in 2022.

[@17-.]

This is exactly how I feel when I get a new pr for jumping! (ok maybe not exactly) but they call out a number and it is a foot better than my personal record I'm just like "no way they must have measured wrong!"

[@plplplplplpl7336]

Right? What do u jump though?

[@michaelalbrecht8558]

eine wahnsinnsleistung 💪,meinen allergrössten respekt 👍 selbst jetzt über 50 jahre später,kommt da keiner ran,einfach nur wahnsinn

[@mikedowns8293]

My old PE Teacher from secondary Sch, Mr John Hammond once showed us in the sch gym hall with his tape measure the length of Beamon's Jump - 8m 90, then the distances we as 12-13 year olds would be jumping.

[@QQTrick1QQ]

This is a great story, he was wondering what everyone was cheering about, he had no idea.

[@10timesover42]

Ditch the cartoons

[@jamesjrmunn5199]

Bob was for real. We attended NC A&T together before he left to go to San Jose State before the 68 Olympics. During practice I watched him touch the top of the basketball backboard.....just a step and a leap straight up and he could run 9.5 sec in the 100.

[@sailorman8668]

He 'could run 9.5 sec in the 100' back in 1968? That's interesting, considering that the world record for the 100 m was broken in 2009 by Usain Bolt, in a time of 9.58 seconds?

[@bernardm2528]

​@@sailorman8668100 yards 9.5 sec. Not 100m. Understand now?

[@roadrunner381]

Wow he was something, nice story, thx!🌟

[@dawgpack777]

That record stood for 29 years I think...One shining moment really applies here...he really got over!!

[@raffaojeda]

Mexico is magical!

[@margeryfranko1850]

Just awesome Bob Beamon. So wonderful to watch 💜🇺🇸😁🇺🇸😍

[@Argyll9846]

It was MAGIC!

[@user-yy3th2ru4c]

1901년에 세운 7.61M ~ 현재 8.95M까지 중 LAAF 공식기록상 가장 시대별적으로 잘 뛴기록!!!

[@supernoodles908]

Maybe I should drink before a race 🤔

[@millardwashington6216]

Super Noodles it wasn’t the drink, it was the “babe”

[@tomperkins5657]

I ran track in high school. Fastest quarter miler on our team would go behind the bleachers and have a smoke before running. Claimed it calmed his nerves.

[@normadesmond6017]

this is beyond belief!

[@user-dr4nt5fn2u]

Волшебный ! Сказочный ! Эксклюзивный ! Прыжок в 21 Век !!!

[@georgegarcia406]

Maybe the Olympic channel should do a video about the 1968 Olympics in which the Olympics saw fit to ban Carlos & Smith as well as Peter Norman for simply wearing a button of the Olympic Project for Human Rights an org set up to oppose to racism in sport. There were 3 heroes that day all above & beyond any Olympian.

[@korybray2753]

They did a documentary about it, narrated by Serena Williams

[@MustafaKhan-pk4pv]

Imo 1968 mexico were the best olympics

[@NetworkGulf]

Yes

[@x-gamerz4715]

the background music ...is from the game "pet soccer"...my childhood fav. game

[@cj222100]

Lol perhaps the night before relaxed him so much that it enabled that jump😂But seriously, that's pretty amazing, & I liked the part where they talked about how as a kid, he just found he had a natural ability for this

[@tim.noonan]

Jon Bois did Bob justice. You made a cartoon.

[@adonistopofmen2571]

fantastisch .....

[@rishabhgoyal1044]

Do a video on Major Dhyan Chand

[@Andvare]

A great Bob.

[@taintedtapper]

J O N B O I S

[@isaiah6730]

Andvare you called it

[@lya9803]

You know the things you were supposed to do before a final *wink wink He did it Great line

[@lanavideau3471]

Quel athlete masha'Allah 1er commentaire yeahh Tahia Djazaïr🇩🇿

[@nicolodelisi3421]

Only many Years later has the new Record,8 95 m

[@valeriozecchinelli2555]

È uno dei più grandi atleti di tutti i tempi : sfruttò il favore del vento (regolamentare) e la rarefazione dell'aria (dovuta all'altitudine). Il suo impero durò più di 30anni fino a quando fu distrutto da Powell e Lewis che lo portarono a 8.95. Lo stesso Powell poco tempo dopo saltò alla misura da fantascienza di 9.00mt ma il record fu invalidato : la velocità del vento - a suo favore - non era consentita dal regolamento

[@gabrieldesouzabruder7517]

GRANDE BEAMON!

[@tromboneJTS]

Great footage. What is up with the cartoons and the British commentator?

[@johnslinkhard]

Who else is here after watching "The Bob Emergency"?

[@edvardsinkevic1359]

At the age of 10...we at school chad standart to jump 9.8 for a top mark. I always jumped 9.9-10.7. it was great. But one jump was it was somebody lifted me up. Unconcious 12.4. it happens

[@TheTmny876able]

would like to have seen that side on

[@Poundcakebowler]

2022 and still would have won Olympic gold

[@MetaKnight4141]

Jon Bois taught me about this guy

[@andrecandela2117]

I am wondering whether 2:06 relates to 2:00.

[@martybrown8559]

I think this record should be shared ....I want to see an interview with her....WINK^

[@MrPotato-hd8bh]

Moral of the story: do the thing one night before the main event

[@AGENT-tq1nm]

They see me rollin they hate it.........

[@henriklarsson5221]

Shaggeriffic!

[@anonimbilinmez3051]

I think the reason is that he got way more light after that night :)

[@damianbla4469]

02:44 "Jan & Nelly"? Is this reference to Jan Maria Rokita & Nelly Rokita (the pair of the Polish politicians during 2005-2010)?

[@cjuicyjuice77]

What was the music

[@mercuryfever392]

He totally Nadia Comaneci-ed that thing. Of course you could technically say was Nadia did was Beamonesque sense what she did came after 1968. Either way, outscoring the scoring equipment must feel pretty dang good.

[@user-cf7gc9ld3v]

Красавчик

[@sikijkarki8975]

This dude got the genetic jackpot

[@marguskiis7711]

He never repeated the jump

[@cavedahonesty105]

Could it be because his body was very relaxed???

[@bharatkaushal2518]

Beamon ,the speed deamon.

[@RaghavSuresh]

it would've been more fun if beamon stood 55 centimetres above the other 2 on the podium

[@dontaetrowell5011]

How good was the jump? When he finally heard the measurement, he passed out...yeah, that good! Lol!!!

[@aauzag2944]

높이뛰기도 잘하실듯 점프 체공이 겁나 높네;

[@replicator2010]

Тер на предолимпийской неделе в Цахкадзоре, с небольшим заступом прыгнул 8.60 и поехал в Мехико за золотом...

[@chjhuang4668]

bob beamon

[@iveyl506]

and this is why you should drink before competing lol

[@sidiyer841]

They weren't talking about drinking, watch it again

[@packman5906]

and no steroids. No modern diet or sports medicine.

[@Noxturnalis]

2:06 that was a tenner

[@LuckyBird551]

Jon Bois brought me here.

[@user-dr4nt5fn2u]

Величайшее !Межгалактическое !Событие ! Изумлению !Восхищению Нет предела . Остановись Мгновение !Ты ! Прекрасно !🌄🌅🌠🌌🔥🌀💧🌈‼

[@aadi7652]

He protecc He attac But most importantly He *necc*

[@joshrank392]

longest strongest necc in the game

[@aok9153]

I jump 4meters and im 15, but 7METERS?? thats just insane.

[@conzo4620]

BQNG Yeah ikr. The level is really high. To qualify for the Dutch u18 championships you have to jump 6m. That makes me a bit sad...

[@markusbonifacio958]

it's not about what he drunk the night before..it was about who he was drinking with..

[@marguskiis7711]

Maybe not just drinking but injecting too.

[@potlimit2002]

I would give this video a thumbs up if it had not been so metric!

[@ultrahenk]

I'm sorry, but Jon Bois already told this story in the best way possible.

[@DOGDRAGONNEKO]

ボブ・ビーモンの快記録から今日でちょうど52年だな。

[@craigwheeler4760]

Before the competition Ralph Boston told the other guys not to get Beamon rilled up or "he'll jump out of the fuking pit" Well, Beamon did get rilled up and he did jump almost completely out of the pit!

[@hazybunk]

I like that if its the altitude then why others not jumped 8.90m

[@bunzeebear2973]

Maybe he had a Light Beer?

[@porchehaat2580]

note for all coaches: beer + black guy = gold

[@Thijs-Kuiken]

I was expecting Nelly to kiss Jan at the end..

[@joshkirkham4281]

Are we all in agreement the cartoon segments are stupid despite the video being great

[@minimal_Sonntag]

Genau an meinem ersten Geburtstag.

[@Tioonacho]

Y México bien gracias cómo siempre jaja

[@jonathanchen5470]

Its all about the beer...

[@jonathanmendoza742]

it was superman beamon made that jump...that was the father of all jump in the next 4 decades

[@aspectoftheyeti1232]

How has this record not have been beaten for that long?