From high jump to pole vault, long jump and triple jump, we set the scene for these events at the 2024 Games
Here is your form guide to the jumps at the Paris Olympics. Don’t forget to follow our coverage of the Games on our website and social media channels.
Check out our new podcast, too, plus our recently completed archive of vintage magazines.
The below statistics first appeared in our monthly print magazine, which you can buy here.
More Paris 2024 previews here.
Gianmarco Tamberi (Getty)
Men’s high jump
Final: August 10
Defending champions: Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA)/Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) 2.37m
Olympic record: Charles Austin (USA) 2.39m, 1996
World champion: Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) 2.36m
World leader: Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) 2.37m
Standards have generally been disappointing in 2024 but, in Gianmarco Tamberi, the event has one of the great entertainers.
Top contenders
Gianmarco Tamberi (ITA) (2.37m in 2024)
The joint Olympic gold medallist also goes in as world and European champion. He starts as favourite despite injury concerns.
Hamish Kerr (NZL) (2.36i in 2024)
The world indoor champion won the Monaco Diamond League with a leap of 2.33m.
Mutaz Essa Barshim (QAT) (2.31m in 2024)
The other joint winner from Tokyo has won three world titles but has not quite hit form in 2024 and he says this is likely to be his final Olympics. Late withdrawal from the London Diamond League.
Woo Sang-hyeok (KOR) (2.33i in 2024)
The world indoor and outdoor champion in 2022 had to settle for bronze indoors in Glasgow and is also yet to hit his peak.
British Challenge: There will be no British athletes in this event.
AW Prediction: 1 Tamberi (ITA) 2.37m; 2 Sang-hyeok (KOR) 2.34m; 3 Kerr (NZL) 2.34m
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Getty)
Women’s high jump
Final: August 4
Defending champion: Mariya Lasitskene (RUS) 2.04m
Olympic record: Yelena Slesarenko (RUS) 2.06m, 2004
World champion: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 2.01m
World leader: Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) 2.10m
With history having just been created in this event with a world record, it should make for compelling viewing.
Top contenders
Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR) (2.10m in 2024)
Despite being world champion, given that she had only once cleared 2.05m or higher outdoors, the Ukrainian’s world record came as a shock. She should upgrade her bronze from Tokyo.
Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) (2.03m in 2024)
The Olympic silver medallist won the world indoor title in Glasgow this year ahead of the Ukrainian.
Lamara Distin (JAM) (2.00i in 2024)
Fifth in Budapest, has yet to match her indoor form this season.
Angelina Topic (SRB) (1.98m in 2024)
Still an under-20 this season, she has been consistent all year and won European silver behind Mahuchikh.
British Challenge: Morgan Lake was a brilliant fourth in Budapest and she showed a good return to form recently with 1.95m in Heilbronn.
AW Prediction: 1 Mahuchikh (UKR) 2.07m; 2 Olyslagers (AUS) 2.04m; 3 Topic (SRB) 1.99m
Mondo Duplantis (Matt Quine/DL)
Men’s pole vault
Final: August 5
Defending champion: Mondo Duplantis (SWE) 6.02m
Olympic record: Thiago Braz (BRA) 6.03m, 2016
World champion: Mondo Duplantis (SWE) 6.10m
World leader: Mondo Duplantis (SWE) 6.24m
This is likely to be the most clear-cut victory in Paris and it’s hard to see anything other than Swedish gold.
Top contenders
Mondo Duplantis (SWE) (6.24m in 2024)
The serial world record-setter and gold medallist is the defending champion and has a huge advantage over his opponents.
Ernest Obiena (PHI) (5.97m in 2024)
A world medallist in the last two championships, he has been in good form throughout the summer.
Thibaut Collet (FRA) (5.95m in 2024)
The host nation’s best hope smashed his PB this summer but was only fifth at the European Championships.
Sam Kendricks (USA) (5.95m in 2024)
The double world champion won a bronze in 2016 but missed 2021 but has been in good form in 2024 winning a world indoor silver and jumping 5.95m outdoors.
British Challenge: No Britons qualified.
AW Prediction: 1 Duplantis (SWE) 6.20m; 2 Kendricks (USA) 5.95m; 3 Obiena (PHI) 5.95m
Nina Kennedy (Continental Tour Gold)
Women’s pole vault
Final: August 6
Defending champion: Katie Moon (USA) 4.90m
Olympic record: Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) 5.05m, 2008
World champions: Nina Kennedy (AUS)/Katie Moon (USA) 4.90m
World leader: Molly Caudery (GBR) 4.92m
This will be far more open than the men’s competition, with the European Championships proving that the contest does not always follow the rankings.
Top contenders
Katie Moon (USA) (4.85m in 2024)
The reigning champion also won world titles in 2022 and 2023. Though she only won bronze at the world indoors and her outdoor form has not been her best, her experience will still be a major factor.
Nina Kennedy (AUS) (4.88m in 2024)
The Commonwealth champion shared the world title with Moon in Budapest and has jumped consistently in 2024.
Angelica Moser (SUI) (4.88m in 2024)
Fifth in Budapest, set a PB to surprisingly win European gold.
Alysha Newman (CAN) (4.83i in 2024)
The former Commonwealth champion struggled in the last Olympics and two world championships but set a PB indoors this winter.
British Challenge: Molly Caudery has gone up a few gears in 2024, winning the world indoor title and setting a world lead and British record 4.92m. She was only third at the European Championships but has an excellent chance of Olympic gold. Tokyo bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw has competed sparingly.
AW Prediction: 1 Kennedy AUS 4.90m; 2 Moser SUI 4.87m; 3 Caudery GBR 4.87m
Mattia Furlani, Miltos Tentoglou, Simon Ehammer (Getty)
Men’s long jump
Final: August 6
Defending champion: Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) 8.41m
Olympic record: Bob Beamon (USA) 8.90m, 1968
World champion: Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) 8.52m
World leader: Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) 8.65m
This should be a high-class competition, but one man stands alone as a clear favourite.
Top contenders
Miltiadis Tentoglou (GRE) (8.65m in 2024)
The reigning world and European champion both indoors and outdoors is defending his Olympic title and set a PB in winning in Rome. He is very much the man to beat.
Simon Ehammer (SUI) (8.41m in 2024)
The world indoor heptathlon champion who won a world bronze in 2022 focuses on his best individual event in Paris.
Mattia Furlani (ITA) (8.38m in 2024)
Improved his own world under-20 record to take silver at the European Championships after a world indoor silver in Glasgow.
Carey McLeod (JAM) (8.38m in 2024)
The Jamaican champion won a world indoor bronze and jumped a wind-assisted 8.52m to win at the Doha Diamond League.
British challenge: Jacob Fincham-Dukes qualified via the rankings for his first senior global event and has set an 8.20m PB this summer. He finished fourth in Rome and has a good chance of making the final.
AW Prediction: 1 Tentoglou (GRE) 8.67m; 2 Furlani (ITA) 8.45m; 3 McLeod (JAM) 8.39m
Malaika Mihambo (Getty)
Women’s long jump
Final: August 8
Defending champion: Malaika Mihambo (GER) 7.00m
Olympic record: Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA) 7.40m
World champion: Ivana Vuleta (SRB) 7.14m
World leader: Malaika Mihambo (GER) 7.22m
This could be a particularly closely-fought contest, with a number of excellent competitors.
Top contenders
Malaika Mihambo (GER) (7.22m in 2024)
The defending champion also has two world and two European titles to her name and will start as favourite.
Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA) (7.18i in 2024)
The world indoor champion was sixth in Tokyo but second in Budapest and is improving all the time.
Plamena Mitkova (BUL) (6.97m in 2024)
The 2022 world under-20 champion is still a teenager and, though only seventh in Rome, she has the potential to win a medal judging by her national championships win.
Larissa Iapichino (ITA) (6.94m in 2024)
The daughter of former world champion Fiona May set a PB in taking European silver and won the Paris Diamond League.
British Challenge: With European indoor champion Jazmin Sawyers injured, no Brits will be in Paris.
Prediction: 1 Mihambo (GER) 7.19m; 2 Davis-Woodhall (USA) 7.14m; 3 Iapichino IITA) 6.95m
Jordan Diaz (Getty)
Men’s triple jump
Final: August 9
Defending champion: Pedro Pichardo (POR) 17.98m
Olympic record: Kenny Harrison (USA) 18.09m, 1996
World champion: Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) 17.64m
World leader: Jordan Diaz ESP 18.18m
With two men having leapt beyond 18 metres at the European Championships, could Jonathan Edwards’ world record be challenged?
Top contenders
Jordan Diaz (ESP) (18.18m in 2024)
The former Cuban world under-18 and under-20 champion went third all-time in winning the European title.
Pedro Pichardo (POR) (18.04m in 2024)
The reigning champion, another former Cuban, was in brilliant form in Rome but could only finish second.
Jaydon Hibbert (JAM)
(17.75m in 2024)
Still a junior, he jumped a huge 17.70m at last year’s World Championships in qualifying but injured himself for the final.
Hugues Fabrice Zango (BUR) (17.57m in 2024)
The reigning world indoor and outdoor champion was third in 2021 and, while he has not jumped as far as some of his rivals, he has won most of his competitions.
British challenge: No Brits qualified.
AW Prediction: 1 Diaz (ESP) 18.24m; 2 Pichardo (POR) 18.03m; 3 Zango (BUR) 17.85m
Maryna Bekh-Romachuk (Getty)
Women’s triple jump
Final: August 3
Defending champion/Olympic record: Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 15.67m
World champion: Yulimar Rojas (VEN) 15.08m
World leader: Leyanis Perez (CUB) 14.96m
With the world’s greatest ever female triple jumper Yulimar Rojas missing through injury, the competition is more open and it could still be top class.
Top contenders
Leyanis Perez (CUB) (14.96m in 2024)
Just 22, the improving Budapest bronze medallist and Glasgow silver medallist has also jumped a marginally wind-assisted 15.16m this summer.
Thea Lafond (DMA) (15.01i in 2024)
The world indoor champion has previously been solid rather than spectacular, but Glasgow moved her up a level.
Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR) (14.81m in 2024)
The 2022 European champion and Budapest silver medallist only made her first appearance of the summer in Monaco but was a fine third.
Jasmine Moore (USA) (14.43i in 2024)
The US champion’s distances have not impressed in 2024 but was a 15.12m jumper at her best last year and she brings in 6.98m long jump form this summer.
British Challenge: No Brits were near selection.
AW Prediction: 1 Perez (CUB) 15.11m; 2 Bekh-Romanchuk (UKR) 15.05m; 3 Moore (USA) 14.99m
» Subscribe to AW magazine here
The post Paris Olympic previews – jumps events appeared first on AW.
