Miltiadis Tentoglou joins Carl Lewis as the only man with consecutive Olympic long jump golds

PARIS: Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece has made history by leaping 8.48 meters to successfully defend his men’s Olympic long jump title, becoming only the second man ever to do so, alongside the legendary Carl Lewis. This remarkable achievement secured Greece’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In a thrilling final held at the Stade de France on August 6, Jamaican Wayne Pinnock earned silver with a jump of 8.36 meters, while Italy’s Mattia Furlani took home bronze with a distance of 8.34 meters.

Displaying a calm demeanor throughout the competition, Tentoglou celebrated his win after his second attempt, breaking into a smile as he shared the moment with his team in the stands, later wrapping himself in the Greek flag.

Tentoglou’s accomplishment positions him alongside American legend Carl Lewis, who retained the Olympic long jump title four times from 1984 to 1996. “This is for my country. Greece is the country that invented the Olympics, so I am happy to do it for them,” Tentoglou expressed to reporters after his victory.

Entering the Olympic Games in impressive form, Tentoglou had won 10 of the 11 competitions in the lead-up to Paris, although he found himself in second place after an initial jump of 8.27 meters—behind Italy’s Furlani.

With a solemn focus, Tentoglou approached the runway for his winning leap, which drew gasps from the crowd despite his reserved reaction. He sought to improve his performance further but managed only 8.24 meters on his third attempt and 8.36 meters on the fourth, which proved sufficient for the win as neither Furlani nor Pinnock could surpass his best jump.

Although Tentoglou suggested his performance was “decent” and expressed hopes for a longer jump, the response from Greece’s leaders was exuberant. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised him on social media, calling him “Mythical Miltos Tentoglou at the top of the world for one more time.” President Katerina Sakellaropoulou remarked, “Tentoglou earned a well-deserved place in the pantheon of top long jump athletes.”

In a moment of reflection, 19-year-old Furlani shared his excitement about winning bronze, attributing his achievement to his coaching mother and calling it “a dream come true.”

Source: Reuters