While few events in Athens have clearcut favourites, the men's Long Jump is an exception. For U.S. champion Dwight Phillips, the event, on paper, seems his to lose.
The 2003 World champion, who also jumped to indoor gold that year, leads the world with his personal best 8.60 leap in Linz earlier this month, has the world's five longest jumps, is undefeated this year, and no one is remotely close.
The closest is Hussein Taher Al-Sabee of Saudi Arabia who extended his own national record to 8.35 in May. A non-qualifier in Sydney, the 24-year-old has improved his consistency since, finishing fourth at the 2002 World Cup and fifth last year in Paris.
21 year-old Ghanaian Ignisious Gaisah, whose enthusiasm is infectious, improved his national record to 8.30 in early July. Fourth in Paris last year, he is already experienced on a big stage.
Americans John Moffitt (8.29), the NCAA champion, and Walter Davis (8.25) will be trying for the fifth U.S. podium sweep at an Olympic Games, most recently acheived in both the 1988 and 1992.
The remaining potential finalists are much less clear. Yann Domenech of France improved to 8.28 in July; 23-year-old Venezuelan Victor Castillo reached a national record 8.34 at altitude, Romanian veteran Bogdan Tarus jumped a near-PB 8.26 in June, and Cuban-born Joan Lino Martínez, who gained Spanish nationality last July and is now based in Madrid. He has bettered his 2002 PB of 8.24 twice this year. He first leapt 8.25 to win in Iraklio (4 July) and more recently, he took the Ibero-American title with a 8.26 jump (8 August in Huelva).
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