Triple jump

The triple jump is an event in the athletics area in which an athlete performs a horizontal jump incorporating three distinct and continuous movements: a jump, in which the athlete takes off and lands on the same foot; a step, landing on the other foot; and a jump, landing in any way, usually with both feet together. If an athlete touches land with the wrong leg, jumping is not allowed.

Related topics

Pole vault, long jump, high jump

What is triple jump?

The triple jump is known as a jump and consists of a horizontal movement or jump that an athlete performs in order to take off from the surface and cover a certain distance.

What does the triple jump consist of?

The Triple Jump consists of three different skills which are performed at speeds in a continuous action as follows:

• Hop: during the jump the athlete uses the same foot for takeoff and landing.
• Step: The athlete lands on the opposite foot.
• Jump: The athlete makes a jump from the foot “step” when landing in the hole.

It consists in the development of a sequence formed by a first jump on one leg, a second jump repeating the same leg and a third jump after the change of leg is made. This last movement is the one that gives the biggest impulse until arriving at the sand.

Characteristics

The main characteristics of the Triple Jump are as follows:

• It consists mainly of a jump, a step and then a jump.
• The take-off and the fall of the jump is done with the same leg.
• It consists of an impulse race.
• Athletes can make up to six different attempts.
• It must be accelerated to maintain a constant speed.

Triple jump history

The origins of the triple jump are not known exactly, but it may be related to the old hopscotch which was a children’s game. It has been a modern Olympic event since the first Games in 1896; two jumps were used in those Games, but one jump was used in the Olympic Games since that time.

Rules

The regulations that athletes must follow to practice triple jump are the following:

• To validate the jump, the athlete must make the first two jumps with the same foot and the third with the other foot.
• The jump with the same foot must be carried out in such a way that the athlete first falls with the same foot that he has made his beat; in the second jump, he will contact the track on the other foot.
• It is not a null jump if the athlete, when jumping, touches the ground with his “passive” leg.
• Each jumper has 30 minutes to make the jump from the moment he is called by the judge.
• The measurement of the jump is the distance of the perpendicular that goes from the last track point to the limit of the clay with the beat board.
• After the jump, he must go out in front of the moat, and never behind his jump.
• If there is a tie, it is determined which of the jumpers has made the second longest jump.
• If there is still a tie, the third jump is considered and so on.
• Jumpers participating in the mark improvement will jump in reverse order to the mark reached, i.e. the one with the best mark will jump last.

Phases

The phases of the triple jump are:

• First jump: a deeper beat is made than a long jump, the trunk remains in a vertical position, after the leg has been left behind after the second step that is advanced looking for landing on the ground.
• Second jump: begins when the foot of the beat leg comes into contact with the ground, is a stride deep, the trunk is in an upright position, the leg free and flexed by the thigh at the height of the hip.
• Third jump: the athlete arrives with less horizontal speed, so it is a natural jump in extension.

Technique

The technique is very similar to the long jump and needs speed, rhythm, balance and control. The race must be progressive with the knees high, and the upper body vertical. During the race, several phases are differentiated. The first phase is the starting reference, then the progression phase and finally is the preparation for the beat.

The triple jump has fewer variations in rhythm and a greater amplitude in the last steps before the jump which makes it a more homogeneous race.

Triple jump equipment

The equipment needed to perform the triple jump is as follows:

• Take-off area: can be mat, sand, tape or board.
• One measuring tape (20 meters), 1 racing tape (50 meters).
• Rake to level the sand of the landing area after each test.
• Broom to keep the runway free of sand.
• Bucket / Hose / Shower: to keep the sand moist.
• Manual brush to sweep the launch area after each jump.
• Spike to keep the zero end of the tape at the nearest edge of the mark made by the athlete on landing.
• Indicator markers that were placed on each side of the selected launch plate.
• Indicators: red, white, yellow.
• Stopwatch: To measure the time of the athletes.
• Wind indicator: to measure the wind.