Wayne Pinnock of Jamaica, an Arkansas jumper, won the Olympic silver medal in the long jump final at Stade de France on Tuesday.
Pinnock jumped 27 feet, 5.25 inches (8.36 meters) in the second round, becoming the first Razorback jumper to medal in the long jump and the first Jamaican to do it since James Beckford in 1996.
“Words can’t explain the feeling,” Pinnock added. “I have always wanted to be an Olympian. My ambition has finally come true with a silver medal. Unfortunately, I did not receive gold, but it is all part of God’s plan.
The Jamaican joins Arkansas alumni Mike Conley and Matt Hemmingway as Razorbacks who have won Olympic jumping medals. Conley won gold (1992) and silver (1984) in the triple jump, while Hemmingway took silver (2004) in the high jump.
Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece successfully defended his Tokyo Olympic title in the second round, leaping 27-10 (8.48). Mattia Furlani of Italy finished less than an inch behind Pinnock for bronze, with a first-round score of 27-4.5 (8.34).
Pinnock also finished behind Tentoglou at the 2023 World Championships.
“For sure, I’ll get him one day,” Pinnock remarked. “I just need to keep focusing on the right stuff in practice and just get everything perfect. They’re all great competitors, but at the end of the day, I know my abilities, and I know for sure [that] one day, I’m going to get that Greek guy.”
Carey McLeod, a Jamaican Razorback, finished in 12th place with a distance of 25-8 (7.82).
Pinnock’s jumps comprised 25-8.75 (7.84), 27-5.25 (8.36), 26-2.75 (7.99), 26-5 (8.05), 27-0.5 (8.24), and 26-7.75 (8.12).
