Elite long jumpers typically use how many strides in their approach run?

Correct — C. At the elite level the long-jump approach runs to about 20 to 22 strides. Novice and intermediate jumpers use shorter runs, of roughly 12 to 19.

The elite band sits inside 18–22 → option (c).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  10–14 — 10–14 sits at and below the short end of the novice and intermediate range, about 12 to 19 strides. Elite jumpers go longer still, to about 20 to 22.
• (b)
  14–18 — 14–18 falls in the novice-to-intermediate band. Elite approaches are longer, at about 20 to 22 strides.
• (d)
  22–26 — 22–26 overshoots. Its lower end touches the elite band of about 20 to 22 strides, but the rest of the range is longer than elite jumpers use.

The approach is where a long jumper builds horizontal speed, the speed that carries the jump. The run must be long enough to reach near-top speed and consistent enough that the take-off foot meets the board every time.

A jump is a foul if any part of the foot goes past the foul line, so jumpers measure their run and rehearse it stride by stride.

Key facts

• Elite long jumpers use approach runs of about 20 to 22 strides.
• A jump is a foul if any part of the take-off foot passes the foul line.
• The men's world record is 8.95 m, set by Mike Powell in Tokyo on 30 August 1991.
• For a record, the tailwind may not exceed 2 metres per second.

Common traps

• Picking 22–26 because it contains 22: the elite band is about 20 to 22, and 18–22 contains all of it.

No directly related past PYQ was found.