Bob Beamon
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Contest:
The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Athletes 2024
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Embed from Getty Images
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Sport(s):
Track & Field
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Statistics:
1 Long Jump Olympic Gold Medal (1968)
1 Long Jump Pan American Games Silver Medal (1967)
Member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
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In 1967, Bob Beamon made his mark on the national stage, winning Silver in the long jump at the Pan American Games. Beamon built on that winning meet after meet and doing UTEP proud. He was expected to win Gold at the Mexico City Olympics, but nobody could have anticipated what he accomplished.
On Beamon’s first jump, he leaped 8.90 m, shattering the World Record by 55 cm, a complete obliteration. In terms of breaking track records, this was, and still is, the most impressive feat ever in track and field and arguably in Olympic history.
The record stood until 1991, when fellow American Mike Powell broke it, and as of this writing, it is still the second-longest non-assisted wind jump.
We are proud to nominate Bob Beamon for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.