Rowlett long jumper Marquise Goodwin's best jump in the London Games was 8.11m. Unfortunately for Goodwin, that jump came in Friday's qualifier round, where he finished second and was considered among the favorites to medal.
Goodwin, a graduate or Rowlett High School and a standout track and football star at the University of Texas, scratched on his first attempt. His second jump was 7.8m and his final jump was worse at 7.76m.
After three jumps, Goodwin wasn't in the Top 8 and his quest for Olympic gold was over. Had he been ranked in the Top 8, he would have earned three more attempts.
Team USA did come away with a medal, however. Will Claye earned bronze with a best jump of 8.12m. Earning gold was Great Britain's Greg Rutherford, with an incredible best jump of 8.31m. Australia's Mitchell Watt took silver with a best jump of 8.16m.
The loss of gold marks the first time in history that Team USA has gone back-to-back Olympics without winning the gold in long jump. Americans have long dominated the discipline, winning gold in 22 of the 28 Olympics in which they've competed. In 1920 and 1964, Team USA took the silver. Now, in 2012, they took bronze. In 1980, 2000 and 2008 the Americans did not medal.
American Mike Powell holds the world record in the event with a jump of 8.95m, set in 1991 in Tokyo.
