Tokyo Olympics: Likely absence of Christian Taylor opens door for new men's triple jump star

Triple jump at the Tokyo Olympics is likely to get a new champion. With two-time Olympic medallist and reigning champion Christian Taylor of the USA likely to miss out on the Tokyo Olympics due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo will see a new star at the top of the podium.

Viktor Saneyev of the then Soviet Union has been the most successful men’s triple jumper in the history of the Olympics with gold medals from 1968 to 1980. In recent times, the USA has dominated the sport with Taylor and Will Claye pocketing gold and silver medals in the 2012 London Games and 2016 Rio Olympics.

But with no Taylor likely in Tokyo, it paves the way for the likes of Claye and Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso to rise to the occasion. While the American triple jump contingent for the Tokyo Olympics is yet to be announced, it is likely Claye will find a place. Whether Taylor makes the Tokyo Olympics cut remains to be seen.

My apologies to everyone that tuned in to nbc today to watch me compete and didn’t see not one jump. Usatf was too busy clout chasing off DK (I was impressed)...This is my winning jump right here though! Thanking God to be back on the runway again🙏🏿 https://t.co/Khj1Sz28ht pic.twitter.com/qk58Xl6sox

— illWill (@WilliamClaye) May 10, 2021

Sportskeeda takes a look at some of the men’s triple jump medal prospects at Tokyo Olympics

# Will Claye - USA

Will Claye at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2017

Having won two consecutive silver medals at the Olympics, American Will Claye will aim to improve the color of the medal at Tokyo Olympics. Claye, a 2012 world indoor triple jump champion, also has two World Championships silver medals (2017, 2019) to his name.

The 29-year-old had a breakthrough 2019 when he leaped beyond 18m twice. His first came at the Jim Bush Track and Field meeting in California – 18.14m. With that leap, he became the sixth man in history to surpass 18m.

Hugues-Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso leaps 17.51m in the men's triple jump – his top three attempts all enough to secure the victory at @Meeting_Lievin.#WorldIndoorTour pic.twitter.com/1sEmHYM4NQ

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) February 19, 2020

Claye’s second 18m-plus leap came a couple of months later in the IAAF Diamond League. He recorded 18.06m edging over his teammate Christian Taylor to win a thriller. Surely, Claye will have a lot of attractions this time in Tokyo. His 2021 performance included a 17.15m leap at the USATF Golden Games.

# Hugues Fabrice Zango - Burkina Faso

Hugues Fabrice Zango celebrates after winning bronze at IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2019

The 27-year-old from Burkina Faso stands a bright chance of being on the podium in Tokyo. Finishing 34th at the 2016 Rio Olympics among 47 athletes, Hugues Fabrice Zango has come a long way in these five years with three medals in the last three years.

While he bagged the African Championships and African Games gold medals in 2018 and 2019 respectively, Zango took bronze at the World Championships in Doha.

He also produced a world indoor triple jump record of 18.07m this year, becoming the first man to leap beyond 18m indoors. At the 2021 Ostrava Golden Spike, Zango took the gold with a fourth-round effort of 17.20m. Can Zango make it to Tokyo Olympics podium? Time will tell.