Sylvio Cator

Considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has won two Olympic medals. The last one (as of 2024) was won by Silvio Cator. After making his Olympic début in 1924, Cator became a Haitian sporting hero when he won a silver medal in the 1928 long jump. Just a few weeks later, Cator jumped into the record books, breaking Edward Hamm’s World Record with a 7.937 m jump, making him the first man to break through the 26-foot barrier. Possibly, Cator was also the first man to jump further than 8 metres, although information regarding his 1929 jump of 8.04 metres is sparse. Per the German newspaper “Düsseldorfer Stadt-Anzeiger” the jump supposedly occurred at Port-au-Prince on 28 April 1929, but was considered wind-aided.

Cator’s 7.937 is still Haiti’s national record, making it the longest standing national record in track and field (as of 2024). Cator, who also played for the Haitian national football team, has the Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince named after him. He also had a very brief career as a professional boxer, with one bout on 5 March 1922, a draw against Moses Daly.

Personal Bests: HJ – 1.85 (1924); LJ – 7.93 (1928).