The men's triple jump event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on August 6, 1936. Thirty-one athletes from 19 nations competed. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The final was won by
Naoto Tajima
was a Japanese athlete who competed at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics. In 1932 he finished sixth in the long jump, while in 1936 he finished third in the long jump, behind Jesse Owens and Luz Long, and won the triple jump event, setting a world rec ...
of Japan with a world-record jump. It was Japan's third consecutive gold medal in the men's triple jump; as of the 2016 Games, it is the last gold medal Japan has won in the event.
Masao Harada
was a Japanese athlete who competed mainly in the triple jump. In this event he won a silver medal at the 1936 Olympics. He won two more silver medals, in the long jump and triple jump, at the 1934 Far Eastern Championship Games
The 1934 Far Ea ...
's silver medal made it the second Games in which Japan put two men on the podium in the event. Jack Metcalfe of Australia (whose record Tajima broke) earned bronze, Australia's first medal in the event since 1924.
Background
This was the 10th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. Returning jumpers from the 1932 Games were bronze medalist
Kenkichi Oshima
was a Japanese triple jumper who won a bronze medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was the flag bearer for Japan at the 1936 Games in Berlin.Rolland Romero of the United States, and eleventh-place finisher
Onni Rajasaari
Onni Rafael Rajasaari (2 March 1910 in Hanko – 12 November 1994 in Hanko) was a Finnish athlete specializing in long jump and triple jump. He took part in the 1932 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics, but is best known for becom ...
of Finland. World record holder Jack Metcalfe of Australia competed, threatening the Japanese dominance of the event. Oshima had won the triple jump at the 1934 Far East Championship, with
Masao Harada
was a Japanese athlete who competed mainly in the triple jump. In this event he won a silver medal at the 1936 Olympics. He won two more silver medals, in the long jump and triple jump, at the 1934 Far Eastern Championship Games
The 1934 Far Ea ...
second.
Naoto Tajima
was a Japanese athlete who competed at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics. In 1932 he finished sixth in the long jump, while in 1936 he finished third in the long jump, behind Jesse Owens and Luz Long, and won the triple jump event, setting a world rec ...
had won the long jump then, and also came into this event as the 1936 Olympic bronze medalist in the long jump.
Chile, the Republic of China, Colombia, Iceland, Poland, and Yugoslavia each made their first appearance in the event. The United States competed for the 10th time, having competed at each of the Games so far.
Competition format
The competition introduced what would eventually become the standard two-round format, though at the time it was described as a three-round format. In the qualifying round (or "elimination trials"), each jumper received three attempts to reach the qualifying distance of 14.00 metres. Those who did advanced to the final round. In the final round, each jumper took three jumps (the "semifinal"). The top six after that received a further three jumps (the "final"), with the best of the six to count.Official Report, p. 673.
Records
These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Naoto Tajima
was a Japanese athlete who competed at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics. In 1932 he finished sixth in the long jump, while in 1936 he finished third in the long jump, behind Jesse Owens and Luz Long, and won the triple jump event, setting a world rec ...
set the new world and Olympic records with 16.00 metres in his fourth jump of the final.
Schedule
Results
Qualifying
The distances jumped in the qualifying round are not known. Those who advanced jumped further than 14.00 metres; those who did not advance jumped shorter than that.