The Banned Somersault Long Jump

I’d never heard this before: in a long jump competition in 1974, Tuariki Delamere did a full front flip during a jump in an attempt to fly further.

The idea of a front flip in long jump had been talked about for years. Experts believed it could help jumpers go further by using the body’s natural rotation to boost momentum. The flip would turn the jumper’s upward motion into forward motion, potentially adding crucial inches to the jump.

This Wired article delves deeper into the physics of the somersault jump:

Delamere’s technique might have added significant distance to long jumps. Many experts think it could have broken the 30-foot mark. (The world record is 29 feet, 4 inches.) But he was never given the chance, because the sporting authorities said it was too dangerous. Evidently they’d never seen gymnastics or ski jumping.

That’s right, the flip technique was quickly banned and never used in competition again. Come on, bring it back!

• sports
• track and field
• Tuariki Delamere
• video