This event was not on the original program. Athletes in the standing triple jump asked for it to be held, as most of them did not understand the format of that event. Journal des Sports described it as “perfectly boring.” There could be no real favorites as the event was rarely held at that time. Meyer Prinstein won the gold medal which he thought he had deserved in the long jump, with defending champion James Connolly placing second. Prinstein remains the only person to have won both the long and triple jump at the Olympics.