Born August 29, 1946, Jamaica, N.Y.

On October 23, 1968, Bob Beamon made track and field history by setting a world long jump record of 29-2 1/2 that stood for 23 years. He broke the existing world mark by almost two feet and the feat staggered the imagination at the time.

While a student at the University of Texas in El Paso, Beamon was the national collegiate indoor long jump and triple jump champion, indicating his versatility in the horizontal jumps. Before his record leap, he had an excellent 1968 season, winning the National AAU outdoor title and the Olympic Trials. Beamon, who was from Jamaica, N.Y., repeated as National AAU champion in 1969 but competed sporadically after that. An Olympic comeback attempt in 1972 fell short and he became a professional in 1973. He was elected to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983.