The triple jump: hop, step and jump

1What is the triple jump?

The triple jump, also called the hop, step and jump, is a field event like the long jump. You sprint down a runway, take off from a board, and then do a hop, a step and a jump into the sand pit, one straight after the other.

It has been in the modern Olympic Games since the very first ones in 1896, and the first modern Olympic champion of all, James Connolly, won the triple jump. The world records are 18.29 m for men, by Jonathan Edwards of Great Britain, and 15.74 m for women, by Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela. The men's record is about as long as four matatus parked end to end!

2The rule of the feet

• Hop: take off from the board on one foot and land on the same foot.
• Step: push off again and land on the other foot.
• Jump: take off from that foot and land in the sand, usually on both feet.

So a right-footed jumper goes right, right, left, both. Using the wrong feet is a foul.

3Warm up

Jog 2 laps. Then, along a straight line: 10 skips, 10 small hops on each foot, 10 bounds (long running strides, pushing hard off each foot), and 10 two-footed jumps. Circle your ankles and knees gently.

4Technique tips

1. Run-up: start with a short run-up of 5 to 7 strides. Be fast but in control, so you hit the board.
2. Hop: make it long and low, not high. As you land on the same foot, "paw" the ground backwards, like a runner, to keep moving forward.
3. Step: drive your free knee up high and hold a long stride shape in the air, as if you were stepping over a puddle.
4. Jump: swing both arms up, jump up and out, and reach your feet forward for the landing.
5. Landing: land on both feet and fall forwards. Never sit back or put a hand down behind you.

Listen for the rhythm of the three landings: ta, ta, taaa. They should be evenly spaced, with each phase a little higher than the last.

5How a jump is measured, and fouls

A triple jump is measured from the take-off board to the nearest mark in the sand, the mark closest to the board. If you land well and then fall back and put a hand down behind your feet, your jump is measured to your hand, so it gets shorter.

A jump is a foul, and does not count, if you step over the take-off board, use the wrong feet, or miss the sand pit. In top competitions the pit starts 11 or 13 metres from the board. At school your teacher will make a take-off zone much closer, so that your jump lands safely in the sand.

6Drills and games

• Chalk footprints: draw the pattern R, R, L, both on the ground, with big gaps. Walk it, then jog it, then bound it.
• Standing triple jump: start with both feet behind a line on grass, then hop, step and jump. Measure it. (The standing triple jump was once an Olympic event!)
• Short run-up jumps into the sand pit, with 3 to 5 strides.
• Same, other, both relay: teams race across the grass doing hop, step and jump over and over, calling out "same, other, both!" as they go.

7Cool down

Walk slowly. Stretch your calves, thighs and hips, and circle your ankles. Triple jumping is hard work for your legs, so only do a few full jumps in each lesson.

Try it yourself

Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.