Christian Taylor and Will Claye of Team USA won gold and silver respectively on Tuesday for the second consecutive Olympics for their performance in the men’s triple jump in Rio.
Taylor, 26, claimed gold with a season-best jump of 17.86 meters (58 feet 7 ¼ inches) on his first attempt in the six-jump final round. (The highest mark of an athlete’s six jumps is considered the winning distance). Claye, 25, finished with a personal-best 17.76 meters (58-3¼), also on his first attempt.
Dong Bin of China took bronze, his country’s first-ever medal in the event, with a leap of 57-8 ¼.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.
Taylor and Claye proudly lifted the U.S. flag, beaming as they reveled in their repeat gold and silver medal victories from the London 2012 Games.
No nation had gone 1-2 in straight Olympic men’s triple jump competitions since the United States in 1900 and 1904, when Meyer Prinstein won
Some observers on Tuesday complained that the triple jump final was held in the early-morning hours rather than in prime time.
The American duo didn’t seem too bothered by that, however, given their win. Claye especially had an additional reason to celebrate, since he proposed to his girlfriend, fellow U.S. track athlete Queen Harrison, after his final leap, and she said yes.
Harrison, 27, proudly flaunted her ring, which was also photographed, to cap off one of the greatest highlights of Day 11 of the Rio Games.
Harrison, who competed in the 400-meter hurdles in the Beijing 2008 Games, failed to qualify for the 100-meter hurdles in Rio, but was still in the stands Tuesday to support Claye. She also won the gold in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2015 Pan American Championships.
Claye told NBC Sports of the engagement:
“Today was the day. I just knew today was going to be the best day of my life. When I woke up, I was like ‘I’m going to be engaged today. I’m going to propose to my best friend.’ She’s the one for me. I had to do it today. I felt like it was a special day. She was supposed to be here running but I think she’s a little bit happier that she’s here just to watch and to be my fiancee now.”
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 16: Silver medalist Will Claye of the United States (L) and gold medalist Christian Taylor of the United States pose during the medal ceremony for the Men’s Triple Jump Final on Day 11 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
With their big three finally back in action Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers suffered another setback…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tny--EWynOQ Nike paid tribute to Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal with a 10-meter-tall animated display…
https://youtu.be/dtJoJz9hC48 Tennis legend Rafael Nadal bid a heartfelt goodbye to his devoted Spanish fans as he brought…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/DQ9Rxhnuer4 U.S. Olympic fencer Eli Dershwitz shed light on the critical skills necessary in fencing…
Two offensive linemen for the Chicago Bears returned to practice, a massive step in the…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s2g9t_33Myw President-elect Donald Trump received a warm welcome from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Jon…