Chuhei Nambu

Chuhei Nambu (May 27, 1904 - July 23, 1997) was a Japanese athlete. As of 2004, he is the only athlete to have held world records in both the long jump and the triple jump.

Related Topics:
May 27 - 1904 - July 23 - 1997 - Japan - Athlete - As of 2004 - World record - Long jump - Triple jump

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The first results known for Nambu, born in Sapporo, are from the mid-1920s. He was a member of the Japanese Olympic team at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, where he competed in three events. His best performance came in the triple jump, where he placed 4th, while his countryman Mikio Oda won the gold. In the long jump, he took 9th place, and he was eliminated with in the heats of the 4 x 100 m relay event.

Related Topics:
Sapporo - 1920s - 1928 Summer Olympics - Amsterdam - Mikio Oda - Relay

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Nambu's real breakthrough came in 1931. After improving his Japanese record a few times, he landed a long jump just two cm short of 8 m, a new world record.

Related Topics:
1931 - Cm - World record

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The next year, at the Los Angeles Games, he was one of the favourites for the Olympic titles in both horizontal jumps. Nambu was disappointed with his third place in the long jump, but took revenge in the triple jump final, held a few days after the long jump. His winning mark of 15,72 m meant a new world record. Thereby, Nambu became the first athlete to hold the world record in both horizontal jumps. He remained holder of both record until 1935, when he lost them to Jesse Owens (long jump) and Jack Metcalfe (triple jump).

Related Topics:
Los Angeles Games - 1935 - Jesse Owens - Jack Metcalfe

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After his sportive career, Nambu became a sports journalist for Mainichi Shimbun. He also remained active in sports, being head coach for the Japanese Athletics Association, and acting as manager of the national team at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. In 1992, he was awarded the Olympic Order in silver by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Related Topics:
Journalist - Mainichi Shimbun - 1964 Tokyo Olympics - 1992 - Olympic Order - International Olympic Committee

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Chuhei Nambu died at age 93 of pneumonia in his hometown Osaka.

Related Topics:
Pneumonia - Osaka

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