Medals awarded in triple jump

American Christian Taylor wins gold again

(Alexandre Loureiro/Getty Images)

Reigning world champion Christian Taylor defended his Olympic title in the men's triple jump in Rio on Tuesday morning. 

In winning gold with a jump of 17.86 meters, the 26-year-old Georgia native became the first American to win back-to-back triple jump gold medals since Meyer Prinstein won at the 1900 and 1904 Olympics. 

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Fellow American Will Claye took silver for the second straight Games behind Taylor. 

 

Claye also won bronze in the long jump in London and is a two-time bronze medalist in the triple jump at the world championships. 

 

In winning triple jump gold at the 2015 World Championships, Taylor came within 0.08 meters, or just more than 3 inches, of breaking the world record of 18.29 meters set in 1995 by Great Britain's Jonathan Edwards. 

 

Taylor posted the best distance in Monday's qualifications at 17.24 meters, but Claye was close behind with the third best distance of 17.05 meters. 

 

Chris Bernard, a 26-year-old Californian and Arizona State alum, finished 16th in qualifications and did not advance to the final.