A horizontal Olympic field event in which athletes perform a hop, step, and jump into a sandpit for maximum total distance.
Origin and rules
The triple jump, sometimes called the hop, step, and jump, traces to the ancient Greek Olympic and Irish Tailteann Games. It was contested at the first modern Olympics in 1896 for men and added for women in 1996.
How it plays
Athletes sprint down a runway, take off from a board, and complete a hop on the same leg, a step onto the opposite leg, and a jump into a sandpit. The longest legal jump across six attempts wins. Foul rules mirror the long jump.
Competition
The World Athletics Championships and the Olympic Games are the leading events. Jonathan Edwards holds the men’s world record at 18.29 metres from 1995. Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela holds the women’s world record at 15.74 metres from 2022.