Bob Beamon biography
Bob Beamon, (born August 29, 1946, Bronx, New York, U.S.), American lengthy jumper, who set a world report of 8.90 metres (29.2 toes) on the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. The new report surpassed the present mark by an astounding 55 cm (21.65 inches) and stood for 23 years, till Mike Powell of the United States surpassed it in 1991.
Beamon started leaping at Jamaica High School (Long Island, New York). He attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College (Greensboro), the University of Texas at El Paso, and Adelphi University (Long Island), the place he additionally performed basketball.
In Mexico City Beamon’s athletic expertise was aided by the excessive altitude and brisk tailwind. When he landed within the pit, he had no concept how far he had jumped or that he had simply shattered the world report whereas additionally changing into the primary lengthy jumper to surpass the milestones of each 28 and 29 toes. When teammate Ralph Boston knowledgeable him that the bounce was greater than 29 toes, Beamon collapsed to the bottom, overcome with such highly effective feelings that he needed to battle off nausea in addition to tears and needed to be helped to his toes by teammates.
After setting the report, Beamon competed irregularly and retired earlier than the 1972 Olympics. Later he was a monitor coach, did youth work, and took part in varied sports-related actions, together with fund-raising for the U.S. Olympic Committee in 1984. When the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame was established in 1983, he was among the many first athletes to be inducted.