Bob Beamon's World Record Long Jump - 1968 Olympics

USA's Bob Beamon breaks the world record in the long jump by nearly two feet during the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games.

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  Sports

[805Bruin]

If altitude was such a huge factor, then how come no one else in the 1968 games came close to what Beamon jumped?

[Finarphin]

I remember watching this on television. There was a delay before the result showed. Then they flashed the 890 on the little revolving kiosk. "That can't be what he jumped. That must be the number on his jersey."

[tripleMmagic]

That isn't true. As an object moves further away from the center of the earth, the gravitational force on the object decreases, so even though it is a very small amount, the rate at which an object (or in this case Bob Beamon) accelerates towards the earth is slightly different than the standard 9.8 meters/seconds^2 . Perhaps you are getting something confused. The gravitational rate of accelleration doesn't change with the object's mass, and this is because of newton's second law.

[zebra9334]

the force of Gravity is the same anywhere on earth... the rate at which an object falls is the same with air pressure being on of the only factors.

[clementflecher]

Wind + 5m/s

[GETREALNoobZ]

Altitude makes very little difference in the jump. He maybe weighted 3 ounces less than he would of on the equator, which is basically negligible. and the less air resistance maybe would of taken him an inch or two further. but it would not add almost 2 feet to his jump.

[Berty Cadilhac]

I can do 32 feet. But that's running, not jumping.

[Cooper Savage]

PARKOUR!



[jack bauer]

and there we have...the real sky walker...

[tprodigy4]

I jump 67"4 and im 3 years old

[SecretGerms]

fucking amazing!!

[cairdhubain]

Phelp's is impressive because of his cumulative achievements - which are indeed the greatest ever. However, no individual thing Phelps has ever done remotely comes close to this one moment given to us by Beamon.