World Athletics are considering the most radical overhaul of the long jump since it became one of the inaugural events of the first modern Olympics in 1896. In an attempt to make the sport more appealing, the governing body will trial a new ‘take-off zone’ from which competitors can leap into the pit instead of the usual fixed wooden board. “That doesn’t work - that’s a waste of time,” said Jon Ridgeon, the World Athletics chief executive, of all the ‘no jumps’. “So we are testing a take-off zone rather than a take-off board. ‘If you have dedicated your life to hitting that take-off board perfectly and then suddenly we replace it with a take-off zone, I totally get that there might be initial resistance.

Source: Stuff February 20, 2024 16:38 UTC