Long jump is a track and field contest in which athletes compete to see who can jump the farthest. In the long jump, the athlete runs down a runway to the take-off point, usually a wooden board, 8 inches (20 centimeters) wide. The athlete then tries to jump as far as possible into a sand-filled pit. The jump is measured from the edge of the board nearest the pit, called the take-off line, to the mark in the sand nearest the board. If any part of the jumper’s foot goes past the take-off line as he or she jumps, the attempt is a foul.
Generally, each athlete gets six jumps if eight or fewer contestants enter the competition. If more than eight athletes compete, each one gets three jumps. The eight with the longest jumps qualify for the finals, where each gets three more jumps.
