long jump

• Long jump


  • Event in track and field that measures the distance of an athlete's horizontal jump
  • Consists of a runway, takeoff board and sand pit
  • Runway is 40 meters long
  • Takeoff board is usually leveled with the runway, approximately 1 meter or 3.3 feet from the end of the runway
  • Sand pit is the landing area
• Measurement of long jump

  From the forward edge of the take-off board to the impression in the landing pit closest to the take-off board made by any part of the body of the jumper
• Takeoff board


  • Where the athlete lands with one foot and then jumps in the sand pit
  • In front of the takeoff board is the plasticine (which has a different colour from the takeoff board)
  • If any athlete steps on the plasticine it is deemed a "no jump or foul jump"
• Phases of Long Jump

  1. Run up/Approach

  2. Take-off

  3. Flight

  4. Landing
• Run up/Approach


  • Objective is to progressively accelerate to a maximum speed for takeoff
  • Approach can vary between 12 and 19 strides for intermediate athletes and 20 to 22 strides for elite athletes
• Take-off


  • One of the most technical parts of the long jump
  • Jumpers must be conscious to place the foot flat on the ground
  • Maintaining proper body position keeping the torso upright and moving the hips forward and up to achieve a maximum distance from board contact to foot release
• Flight


  The body being in the air
• Landing


  • Competitors main objective is not to fall back in the landing pit
  • The jump is measured from the location in which the body attacks the sand closest to the take-off point
  • Upon landing competitors will often use their arms in a sweeping motion to help keep the legs up and the body forward or push, and/or push their legs hard into the sand and rotate sideways out of the pit
• Hitch Kick technique


  • Running/cycling motion in the air
  • Knees will bend as the legs move forward and straighten
  • Arms will move in a windmilling motion, fast forward and rotate
• Hang technique


  • Lengthening the body to make it as efficiently long as possible
  • Both the arms and legs are extended to reach a maximum distance from the hips at the leaping point
  • This position is held until after the jumper reaches the apex (highest point) of jump at which point the athletes will snap legs forward into the landing position
• Sail technique


  • After the takeoff phase is complete, the jumper immediately lifts the leg into a toe-tipping position
  • This allows the body to sail in the air, effectively accompanying the momentum achieved by the leap
• Triple Jump


  • Track and field event, similar to the long jump
  • Competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit