Athletics at the 2000 Sydney Summer Games:

Cuba's Iván Pedroso had been the dominant long jumper since 1995, winning the World Championships in 1995, 1997, and 1999. He had performed poorly at the 1996 Olympics, suffering from a hamstring injury. He was a heavy favorite in Sydney and led the qualifiers with 8.32 (27-3¾). In Sydney his competition came from Australian favorite Jai Taurima, silver medalist at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Pedroso led after round two with 8.34 (27-4½), but Taurima equaled this in round three. They both improved in round four – Pedroso leading with 8.41 (27-7¼) to Taurima's 8.40 (27-6¾). But then Taurima took the lead in round five with 8.49 (27-10¼), only to see Pedroso come thru for the gold medal in the final round with 8.55 (28-0¾). The best American, Dwight Phillips, finished eighth. Except for the obvious problem of 1980, this was the only time in history an American did not win a medal in the long jump, much less have their best jumper finish as low as eighth.