It came down to his sixth and final jump on Saturday night in Rio, and Jeff Henderson of the U.S. delivered, leaping 8.38 meters (27’4) on his final jump to overcome Luvo Manyonga of South Africa and win the gold medal, the first of his career.
Olympics 2016: Team USA’s Jeff Henderson wins gold in men’s long jump
Henderson won with a 8.38 meter leap in his final jump.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Manyonga was second by the slimmest of margins, jumping 8.37 meters for second. Greg Rutherford of Great Britain, who won gold in front of the home crowd in London in 2012, finished in the bronze medal position in 8.25 meters.
Jarrion Lawson of the U.S. thought he had a shot at a medal on his final jump, but his left arm barely scraped the sand back from where he landed -- each jump is measured by the body part that lands closest to the takeoff point -- and he only registered a 7.78 meter jump. His 8.25 meter leap from earlier in the competition was good enough for fourth.
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