by Larry EderThe 2019 WC Men’s Long Jump was full of upsets. The field had most of the top long jumpers, but some were not jumping on all cylinders. Tajay Gayle, a young Jamaican jumper with much promise, took the lead in attempt 1, with 8.46m. Jeff Henderson took second position with an 8.28m, and Juan Luis Echevarria, the most talented long jumper in a decade, was in third, 8.25m after the first attempts.
Jeff Hendersen, Tajay Gayle, Juan Luis Echevarria, WC LJ 2019, photo by Adam Johnson Eder, The Shoe Addicts
Where was the response of Echevarria, Manyonga and Samaai?
Gayle had two legal jumps, and his 4th, 8.69m, showed who was the long jump king in 2019. Henderson pleased himself with a leap of 8.39m in attempt 3, and kept the silver medal, and Juan Luis Echevarria improved to 8.34m in attempt 3.
The upsets? Few picked Gayle as the winner. Even Henderson did not expect to get a medal, hell, he was surprised to make the U.S. team. Another upset, what happened to Echevarria? In the young Cuban’s defense, he was most gracious with the young Jamaican who took the gold. Gayle could not give more than a few words on his win. I took it that he was in shock.
Tokyo2020? All of these guys will be there, but Gayle will have a bulls eye on his back and Henderson and Echevarria will be there, ready to challenge the Jamaican champion.
To see the entire competition results: https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/iaaf-world-athletics-championships-doha-2019-6033/results/men/long-jump/final/series
Special thanks to The Shoe Addicts (Mike Deering, video production, Adam Johnson Eder, photography).
