Lena Jordan (1880/81 – unknown) was a Russian gymnast, who performed in circuses during the 19th century. In 1897, Jordan was the first recorded person to perform a triple somersault.

Career

Jordan started doing gymnastics in the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

(now Latvia) in 1892. She initially worked for the Flying Jordans circus. It was claimed that she performed a triple somersault during a routine in the US in 1896, although this has not been officially recognised. In May 1897, Jordan, aged 16, became the first recorded person to perform a triple somersault during a routine in Sydney, Australia. Jordan later joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus, during which time she performed the triple somersault 28 times. For many years, Ernest Clarke was wrongly attributed as performing the first recorded triple somersault. However, he first performed a triple somersault in 1909, 12 years after Jordan. In 1975, the ''

Guinness Book of World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

'' acknowledged Jordan as the record holder.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Lena Russian gymnasts Russian circus performers 19th-century circus performers Acrobats 1880s births 20th-century deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death missing 20th-century circus performers Entertainers from the Russian Empire