Exactly three decades after his astonishing performance at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Jonathan Edwards says his world record triple jump still fills him with pride and wonder. Edwards, who leapt an unprecedented 18.29 meters (60 feet) to set a mark that has never been surpassed, told CNN Sport that the achievement remains surreal. “To hold a world record, to do something better than anybody else has done in the history of the world, it’s remarkable,” he said. “It’s just me – my little, skinny, White legs. It’s a lovely thing.”
Edwards admits he never tires of watching footage of the jump, recalling his explosive sprint down the runway, the fluid sequence of bounding strides, and the final soaring leap into the sandpit. He knew instantly he had broken the record—twice in succession that day—before raising his hands in celebration and awaiting the scoreboard confirmation. His closest rival, Bermuda’s Brian Wellman, finished more than half a meter behind, underlining the scale of Edwards’ dominance at the championships.
The Briton’s leap remains one of track and field’s longest-standing world records. Since then, only American Christian Taylor has come within 10 centimeters of the mark, and just eight athletes in history have cleared the 18-meter barrier. Edwards, however, revealed that heading into Gothenburg he was far from assured of victory despite his fine form. “I thought I could easily not win,” he recalled. “The potential was there for me not to win, and that would be a disaster, even though I jumped so well throughout the year.”
Behind his composure, Edwards admits nerves nearly got the better of him. On arrival in Sweden, he even bought a pair of sunglasses—not for the summer sun, but to mask his fear from fellow competitors. Yet, once on the runway, he delivered one of athletics’ most iconic moments, twice rewriting the record books within a single afternoon.
Thirty years on, Edwards’ record remains untouched, a testament to both his technical mastery and athletic brilliance. For the now-retired champion, the achievement continues to inspire. “It’s something very aesthetically pleasing,” he said. “To know I’ve done something no one else has done—it still brings a smile to my face.”
