Three decades ago, Jonathan Edwards etched his name into the annals of athletics history with a stunning triple jump of 18.29 metres at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg. Today, that leap remains the longest ever recorded in legal wind conditions — a feat no athlete has been able to surpass in the thirty years since.
While proud of his record-breaking performance, Edwards is the first to admit that its longevity may not be a positive reflection on the current state of athletics.
“I don’t think it’s a good sign for athletics as a sport that you have a record that stands for 30 years,” Edwards told BBC Sport. “When you think of all the developments in sports science, nutrition, and training methods, I don’t think it necessarily speaks to a really healthy and thriving sport, if I’m honest.”
A Jump That Redefined Limits
In 1995, no man had legally cleared the 18-metre mark in competition. Edwards shattered that barrier not once, but twice in the same event. His first-round effort landed at 18.16m — already rewriting history — before his second jump of 18.29m pushed the boundaries of human performance even further.
Edwards had arrived at the championships as the favourite, having already broken the world record earlier that year with a 17.98m jump. He had also recorded a wind-assisted 18.43m, the furthest distance ever reached in any condition.
Key to his success was a shift in technique. That season, he had adopted a double-arm style instead of the traditional alternating arm movement, which he credited for improved balance and rhythm through the hop, step, and jump phases. Weighing just 71kg, Edwards relied more on speed and technical precision than brute strength, likening his movements to a stone skipping across water.
Despite being in top form, Edwards confessed to feeling far from confident. He recalled buying sunglasses at Gothenburg airport simply to mask his anxiety from rivals during warm-up.
Yet his competitors saw only dominance.
“We studied Edwards’ videos over and over,” said Jerome Romain, who won bronze that day. “It was just remarkable.”
Brian Wellman, the silver medallist, agreed: “He was the most efficient triple jumper out there.”
Why Has No One Beaten It?
In a sport where records are meant to be broken, it’s surprising that Edwards’ jonathan mark still stands. According to the man himself, part of the problem lies in the sport’s struggle to remain competitive in a changing professional landscape.
“Athletics hasn’t kept pace with the professionalisation of sport,” he said. “If you’re a talented jonathan young kid today, you’re more likely to choose a sport with better rewards and visibility. Track and field — especially field events — don’t offer that.”
Broader trends echo his point. Investment in athletics has been falling. UK Sport announced last year jonathan that UK Athletics would receive 8% less funding for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics compared to Paris 2024. Participation in track and field is also declining, particularly among youth, according to data jonathan from England Athletics.
Even new initiatives such as Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track — which offers $100,000 prizes to race winners — have excluded field events altogether.
Can Technology Make a Difference?
Many might assume that advances in sports technology — especially in footwear — would help break long-standing records. However, Edwards jonathan believes that innovations like carbon-fibre-plated shoes, which benefit runners, don’t translate well to jumping events.
“I wonder whether a carbon-fibre plate can cope with the intensity of impact in triple jump and offer anything on the rebound,” Edwards jonathan said. “The forces involved are so extreme, and I don’t think the spring-like effect works the same way as it does for running.”
Dr Tom Allen, a sports engineering expert, supports that view, saying the benefit of such shoes in jumping events is “small or jonathan negligible” compared to their impact on running performance.
Interestingly, three of the five longest-standing men’s world records in commonly contested events — triple jonathan jump, long jump, and high jump — were all set between 1991 and 1995. That suggests a broader trend where jumping disciplines may not have progressed at the same rate as others.
Will the Record Ever Jonathan Fall?
The closest anyone has come to Edwards’ mark was in 2015, when American Christian jonathan Taylor managed 18.21m — just 8cm short. This year’s world-leading jump is 17.80m, while the Olympic gold in 2024 was won with 17.86m.
“He can rest easy for a while,” said Romain. “This is not an easy feat, I’m telling you.”
Edwards admits he has mixed emotions about the idea of someone finally breaking his record.
“It’s been part of me for so long now,” he reflected. “In a strange way, it would be nice if it carried on.”
He even jokes that it could be part of his funeral, with a tape measure along the aisle reading 18.29 metres.
Whether that jump is ever surpassed, Edwards’ feat remains a monumental moment in athletics. But its endurance also prompts tough questions: has the sport lost momentum, or was Edwards simply ahead of his time?
