During the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Bob Beamon made an incredible leap in the long jump that remained the world record for twenty-three years. He made an incredible world record 8.90m leap which was broken by Mike Powell in 1991.
Robert Beamon is an American athlete born on the 29th of August 1946 in South Jamaica, Queens, New York. His mother died when he was eight months old and was left in his grandmother’s care. He attended Jamaica High School where his talent was discovered.
Bob later became a part of All-American track and field team. He then attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and later transferred to the University of Texas at EI Paso after the death of his grandmother. He then received an athletic scholarship.
Beamon won a silver medal and the AAU indoor title at the Pan American Games in 1967. After the assassination of Martin Luther King Junior, he was one of the black athletes who were dropped the university’s track and field team.
In the 1968 Olympics he almost missed the final as he overstepped on his first two attempts. He had previously made a world record in long jump but it was ruled out as ineligible because it was believed that it was wind assisted.