Long jump next for Bolt

Usain Bolt targets long jump in bid for legend status•

Mike Powell says Jamaican has physique to make big impact

Anna Kessel in Berlin guardian.co.uk, Sunday 23 August 2009 21.55 BST Article history

After his record-breaking efforts in the sprints, Usain Bolt is now contemplating a future in the long jump, the 23-year-old said. The Jamaican has frequently expressed his desire to become a legend in the sport like Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis, who both excelled in the sprints and the long jump. “I tell my coach I’d love to try the long jump before I retire. Definitely,” said the triple world record holder. “Hopefully I can do this before I retire because I think I’d be very good.”

Mike Powell, the American long jumper whose world record of 8.95m has stood since the 1991 World Championships, believes Bolt could be the first to crack nine metres.

“With his height [6ft 5in] he is the type who would scare me … he is tall and fast.” Powell believes the Jamaican could revitalise the event. “We are dealing with a freak-of-nature athlete. He is off the charts. He is destroying other athletes, making them look like kids.”

The debate over whether Bolt will compete in the 400m rages on. The Jamaican said he would run the one-lap distance as a season’s opener next year, but reiterated that he was not keen on the event. Could he be persuaded in time for 2012? “I don’t know. I don’t want to do it but if my coach decides I’m dominant over the 100 and 200 and let’s try something new, I’ll definitely try to put my heart into it also.”

Bolt was presented with a piece of the Berlin Wall to take back to Jamaica, an acknowledgement of his triple gold medal-winning performances over the last 10 days. “Everybody knows my name. I’m as big as Bob Marley because my name is really everywhere like Bob Marley’s was when he was alive. I have one of the rarest talents you’ll ever find over 10 years,” said Bolt who now competes in Zurich on Friday and Brussels next week. “There won’t be any more world records for the rest of the season – I’m just trying to win.”

Britain surpassed their target of five medals, set by the head coach, Charles van Commenee, with two more silver medals today making a total of six – their biggest haul since Seville in 1999. Van Commenee said the results were “encouraging”.

Lisa Dobriskey won silver – after having her bronze medal upgraded – in a controversial 1500m race in which the initial winner, Natalia Rodríguez, was disqualified. Rodríguez was judged to have pushed the world indoor champion, Gelete Burka, as they neared the final bend, sending the Ethiopian flying. Dobriskey managed to avoid the pile-up, sprinting down the home straight perfectly positioned for a medal – although had she been just 0.02sec faster she would have taken gold in front of the defending world champion, Maryam Yusuf Jamal. The Spanish team put in a protest at the disqualification but when the replays were shown on the big screens it was clear who the crowd supported – shrill whistles derided Rodríguez, who left the stadium in tears.

Dobriskey was thrilled with her run, happy to bury the memories of missing out on a medal in Beijing last year. “I just could not finish fourth today because I’ve driven my family absolutely up the wall with that DVD [of the final] and the tears and the tantrums. I needed to win a medal.” The 25 year-old refused to torture herself about missing out on the gold medal: “I couldn’t have done any more.”

After a year of injury, which almost stopped her from being selected for the British team, Dobriskey’s medal provided the fairytale ending. “Two weeks into June I still wasn’t running, it was game over pretty much and I really thought it wasn’t going to happen.”

Dobriskey cited Van Commenee’s influence as key to the team’s success. “He gave us quite a good talking-to. He actually said athletics is becoming a yesterday sport. After the Olympics we’ve been overtaken by swimming – we needed to go and perform. It really hit home and it made a few people sit up and think we have the opportunity to do something about it. The whole philosophy behind everything has really given the team fresh motivation and a fresh look on things.”

Britain’s men’s 4x400m team took silver in a thrilling race – Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, Rob Tobin and Martyn Rooney holding off Australia to claim second place behind a world-class United States team. “We just beat the Aussies in the Ashes so we had to go out and do it on the track as well,” said a delighted Tobin. The women’s 4x400m team – including Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders – finished fourth.

He has to be able to jump 8m asleep. Running at 11 m/s has to be a walk in the park for him. He would be comfortable with crazy speeds on the runway. Let alone with his height and possible crazy elastic strength and we have a possible 9m there.

I do not think so… Take it. Bolt ran 9.58, Lewis ran 9.86. Difference is 0.28. Devide it 10 and 10m segment is 0.028 difference. Bolt the top speed was 12.4m/h and Lewis’s 12m/h. Carl when competed usually runup speed was 11.2m/h, and he was able to do take off! I am not sure that Bolt could run 11.6 or even 11m/h and does take off! Carl had been doing long jump since his very young age and Bolt start jumping in 23 and jump so far? No…
And another point. Everyone speaks abot 400m and time under 42… Johnson ran 19.32 and 400m was 43.18, X-man ran 19.63 and 400m was 44.5x, Spearmon has 19.65 and tried 400m with result 45.xx I do not think it’s so easy even for him to run under 42, maybe 43…

Walk in the park. Bolt is gonna get records in all the events:
-100m (already)
-200m (already)
-4x100 (already)
-400m
-4x400
-long jump
-mile
-marathon
-triple jump
-javelin
-discus
-shot put
-every other track and field event
-walking on water
-drinking the most beer pitchers
-everything else I did not mention

he will get bored and break every record in the end hahaha.

IAAF scoring table evaluate Bolt’s 9.58 100m as equivalent in value to a 9.16 long jump. Now when he gets to 9.58m…

I would be very interested in seeing what he can do. I’ve wondered for a while how far he can jump.

Bolt running 12.4m/s compared to Lewis’ 12.0m/s is not insignificant. It’s an increase in top speed of about 3%, which can increase the long jump distance by 3% if everything else is identical. That’s about a quarter of a metre he gains due to superior speed.

ok… and try to take off during that speed… it is not joke… And What about Michale Jordan in high jump? I think 250cm no problem… and what about Mike Tyson in shot put? 24m? hmm And what about Bolt in 800m? 1:40? its only 12.5 for 100m-jog for him! :cool: I forget, he is very tall, taller than Bubka, so if Bolt use his speed in PV, wow…650cm?
Hey guys…I think he is able to run 100m in 9.50 or 200m in 18.90. However, you are dreaming…

Get off your sarcastic high horse and think a bit before responding. I did not say Bolt would be taking off at 12.4m/s. I think that if his top speed is 3% faster, it’s not much of a stretch to think that he could take off at a faster controllable speed (maybe 3% faster even). Whether or not he can jump is another matter, and I said nothing to whether or not he can. Gaining 0.25m is over himself at a slower speed, not over Lewis because Bolt can miraculously long jump at an elite level with no training.

personally, i think bolt could kick ass if he learned the long jump

forgetting all this fancy analysis of speed, which as we can see in current jumpers, speed varies significantly but with similar distances jumped. using fancy numbers really doesnt prove anything at all.

anyway, as he is absolutely massive, he would get awesome reach for landing!!!

I can bet he will show a better technique than Britney Reese :slight_smile:

I am really stunned at this whole discussion. What more does this guy need to do? A wrong move and he’s injured for good. Stick with what’s obviously working and stay clear of trouble.

I think he will stay where he is…but will occasionaly give something to wonder about… ( why not 200m hurdles??..those mini hs would suit him perfecty:)))

You are right Charlie…

If, over the next couple of years, he can lower the 100m and 200m records a little more, and no challengers appear, then I would like to see him try something else. If he dominates the 1 and 2 for another 6 years… I probably won’t watch the events after a while.

Or, he could start a singing career…

He could also be better than michael jordan !!! And beat Tiger Woods !!!
Feels good building supermans huh guys ?

He should also consider hopping into the pool with michael phelps.

Well that’s one down and a few hundred million left.

Well that’s one area where he wouldn’t have too much trouble setting a new standard!!
Just think of it… the G.O.A.T. of the Throat!!

He could be the first man in history to drive a basketball 300 metres