In winning the 1968 Olympic title, Bob Beamon achieved what is generally recognized as the outstanding single performance in track & field history. Showing perfect technique in ideal conditions, he not only became the first man to break the 28-foot barrier but also the 29-foot mark. More precisely, he cleared 29-2½ (8.90) and finished more than two feet ahead of his nearest rival. Prior to this amazing feat Beamon had set a national high school triple jump record in 1965 and in 1967 he won the AAU indoor long jump and silver in long jump at the Pan American Games. In 1968 he won both the AAU and NCAA indoor long jump and triple jump titles, and won the AAU outdoor long jump that year. Due to injury he never again approached his 1968 Olympic form and he turned professional in 1973. After first attending Adelphi, Beamon graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1970, where he also briefly played basketball. Beamon had little success as a professional trackster and spent most of his career in social work. His record was finally broken by Mike Powell at the 1991 World Championships.
Personal Bests: 100y – 9.5 (1966); HJ – 6-5 (1.95) (1967); LJ – 29-2 ½ (8.90) (1968); TJ – 52-3½i (15.92) (1968).
United States