Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou leapt to a sensational gold medal in the men’s long jump final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on August 6, jumping 8.48m to claim the gold medal in front of 80,000 spectators at the Stade de France.
Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock claimed the silver medal with a jump of 8.36m, while Italy’s Mattia Furlani claimed the bronze medal with a mark of 8.34m.
Tentoglou’s win made him the second jumper to win consecutive gold medals in his event, after the legendary Carl Lewis who had four in a row from 1984 to 1996.
The Greek also became the first Greek track and field athlete to win consecutive Olympic gold medals and the first in general in the 21st century, after the weightlifter Pyrros Dimas preceded him, with three golds from 1992 to 2000.
Speaking to the ERT public broadcaster after the event, Tentoglou said, “I am very happy, but I feel I could have achieved even more.”
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis took to social media to congratulate the 26-year-old athlete from Grevena, who also won gold at the Tokyo Games.
“Mythical Miltiadis Tentoglou is on top once again! As the gold Olympic champion in Paris, he is making his own unique history and making us all proud. This is Greece’s first gold medal. Miltiadis, congratulations and thank you!” Mitsotakis wrote.
Tentoglou’s win takes Greece’s medal tally to seven.