Long Jump On Leap Day

Have I been thinking about doing this post for more than a week, but decided to hold it off until Leap Day?  It's possible.  But, like the Olympics, Leap Day comes around only once every four years (coincidentally, in the same year), so why not celebrate the occasion by talking about leaping?  Specifically, the long jump and the ridiculous World Athletics proposal that would completely change the event.  And not necessarily for the better. 

The proposed change would involve replacing the takeoff board with a "takeoff zone," with the jump being measured from where the athlete actually took off as opposed to the end of the board.  The thought process behind this is that it will produce fewer fouls and make the event more exciting.  At the 2023 World Championships, a third of all jumps ended in fouls, which is what prompted the discussion.

Long jumping isn't and never has been about who can jump the longest.  As Dwight Stones says every time they show the long jump on TV, "It's actually the long jump for accuracy."  That description is apt.  They want to get as close to the edge of the board as possible without going over it.  Measuring their step properly is just as important as their form, if not more so.  And getting the step right is just as much of a skill.  In fact, competitions have been won or lost because of how distance a jumper gave away by taking off too far from the board.

By introducing a "takeoff zone," that important skill would no longer need to be mastered.  Instead, they'll just be measured from where they jumped (assuming it's still within the zone).  Not only would that reduce (or completely eliminate) fouls, it would be a more accurate measure of how far the jumper actually jumped.  They'll no longer lose those six centimeters they lost because they took off six centimeters behind the board.

On the surface, the idea of a "takeoff zone" sounds more fair.  You get measured for how long you actually jumped.  But is it really more fair?  Because now athletes who can't get their step correct not only aren't penalized, they're rewarded.  Meanwhile, those who actually get their step right don't benefit at all, since their losing little to no distance on the board won't even matter.  So, what's even the point of getting your step down, then?

Eliminating the possibility of fouls would also take away one of the most dramatic aspects of the long jump.  How many times have we seen a top contender commit two fouls on their first two jumps needing a mark in their third?  Do you take a safety jump, just to have a legal mark?  Or do you risk it all by going for it on that third attempt?  It's up to you to figure that out.

One of the most legendary Jesse Owens stories involves that exact situation.  At the 1936 Olympics, Owens fouled on each of his first two jumps in qualifying, so his German rival Luz Long suggested he take off well behind the board, knowing that Owens would easily qualify with a legal jump.  The story may be apocryphal (it's true that he had two fouls, unclear whether Long actually gave him the advice), but the point remains.  Owens doesn't win four gold medals in Berlin if he doesn't make that adjustment.

Carl Lewis, possibly the greatest long jumper in history, is, not surprisingly, not happy about the proposed change.  His response, in fact, was, "You're supposed to wait until April 1 for April Fool's jokes."  He isn't the only one opposed to the change.  So is two-time World Champion Tianna Madison.  The current long jumpers who've spoken out don't really seem too keen on the idea, either.  Ivana Spanovic, the reigning World Champion, said it would take the "authenticity" out of the event, and British jumper Jazmin Sawyers posted a lengthy Instagram Story where she talked about how having the board creates more drama.

Part of World Athletics' argument is that they think this format is better for TV because "people don't want to watch fouls."  I'm calling their bluff on that one.  Because the long jump coverage on TV broadcasts of track & field is usually just an edited compilation of the best jumps from each of the top three.  Unless you're watching the live stream of the event and see every jump, the only chance you have of seeing a foul is if they go to the event live (or if somebody has two fouls and needs a legal jump on their third attempt).

This isn't the first time they've tried to tinker with the long jump to make it more TV-friendly, either.  A few years ago, they changed the Diamond League format so that the top three would have their results over the first five rounds thrown out, with the winner being the one who had the best jump in the final round.  That controversial format was universally panned--and rightly so--and dropped after one year.  Now, they still have the top three, but all of the results throughout the competition still count, and the leader goes first in the final round, followed by the person in second place, with the jumper in third going last.  The idea is that the final jump can still win the competition.  But that's not exactly the fairest format, either, since the person who's been in the lead the whole time won't get the chance to counter if their mark is surpassed.

It's important to note, too, that this is just a proposed change right now.  It'll be tested throughout the year all over the world with "very good athletes."  World Athletics also clarified that if it doesn't pass the test, it'll never be introduced.  They emphasized that they aren't trying to reinvent the wheel.  Rather, a 150-year-old sport needs to remain innovative to stay relevant for another 150 years.  Would changing the format of the long jump achieve that goal?  It's hard to say whether it'll move the needle one way or the other.

Track & field's biggest showcase has always been and always will be the Olympics.  At this summer's Paris Games, they'll still be using the traditional format.  So, the earliest we could possibly see the "takeoff zone" at an Olympics is four years from now in Los Angeles.  That is, if we ever see it in the Olympics at all.  And, frankly, the only people who'll even care between now and then are track & field fans.

What's far more likely is that if World Athletics deems the "takeoff zone" format to be a success, they'll roll it out gradually next year, with full implementation probably not until 2026 (which is the next year without a senior global championship).  I doubt we'll see it at next year's World Championships in Tokyo.  It won't be widely-used enough yet to make such a drastic change at such an important meet.  So, if we ever do see it in action, my guess is the 2027 World Championships in Beijing will be the big debut of the "takeoff zone."

Frankly, I hope it never comes to that.  Some changes are good.  For example, they no longer use an old-fashioned tape measure.  It's all done digitally, and the athlete's mark comes up digitally on the board after each jump.  This feels like change for the sake of change, though.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  The long jump ain't broke.  Even if some people in World Athletics want to believe it is.