Taylor specializes in the triple jump, and this marks his second consecutive gold medal at the Olympic Games. At the 2012 Olympic Games that were held in London, he came in first with a jump of 17.81 meters, which was a season best for him that year.
This year, Taylor was the reigning world champion in the sport, and at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, he won the gold medal with yet another season best performance of 17.86 meters, leaving fellow American triple jumper and team-mate Will Claye in second place with 17.76 meters. Ironically enough, both Taylor and Claye reclaimed their gold and silver medals respectively from the prior Olympiad, proving that they are true forces to be reckoned with.
Taylor’s personal best in the sport is a jump of 18.21 meters, which he achieved in 2015 at the World Championships in Beijing, China. With that jump, Taylor set American and North American Continental records, and it was the second best triple jump performance of all-time, right behind world record holder, British triple jumper Jonathan Edwards, who holds the world record in the event since 1995 with 18.29 meters.
To learn more about Olympic gold medalist Christian Taylor, follow him on Twitter, and check out his official website.
