Wayne Pinnock Leaves World in Awe with 8.54m Long Jump Masterclass

August 23, 2023

Jamaica's Wayne Pinnock Soars to Budapest 23 World-Leading 8.54m in Long Jump Qualifying at World Athletics Championships

Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock wasted no time securing his berth in the men’s long jump final at the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23. With just one leap, he soared to an impressive 8.54 meters in the qualifying round on Wednesday (23 Aug), claiming the world-leading mark. Pinnock’s performance seemed almost routine, as he executed his jump with the same precision he applies in training.

Watch Wayne Pinnock’s jump at this link

“I just jumped like I do in training. I came here, had the focus, and just jumped,” Wayne Pinnock calmly stated. Following his attempt, he caught sight of the remarkable distance and exclaimed, “Oooh.” This was the moment he had been striving for, and it had materialized before his eyes, leaving him profoundly grateful.

Wayne Pinnock & Carey McLeod switch to Razorbacks

At 22 years old, Wayne Pinnock surpassed his personal best of 8.37 meters set earlier in the season, which had ranked as the fifth-best mark globally. His world championship debut last year in Eugene saw him finish ninth.

Wayne Pinnock aims to replicate in the final at Budapest 23

Anticipating the final on Thursday, Pinnock expressed his intentions: “In the final, I want to go out there and do the same thing and whatever comes will come.” He shared insight into his approach, saying, “I focused on pushing my first six or seven steps, then just kept my transition and take-off.”

Impressively, three Jamaican athletes secured their spots in the final. Carey McLeod recorded a mark of 8.19 meters, and Tajay Gayle leapt to 8.12 meters, ensuring a strong Jamaican presence in the final 12.

Among the competitors, China’s Jianan Wang achieved a leap of 8.34 meters, securing the second-best distance on another sweltering and humid morning. Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece claimed the third spot with his jump of 8.25 meters.