Chūhei Nambu

Nambu Chūhei (Japanese南部 忠 平; born May 27, 1904 in Sapporo, † July 23, 1997 in Osaka ) was a Japanese athlete and Olympic champion. He is still the only athlete who held the world record in the long jump and the triple jump at the same time.

About the youth of Nambu is not known. He had his first sporting successes in the mid 1920s. At the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928, he participated in three disciplines. In the triple jump, he finished fourth in the long jump ninth, and in the 4 x 100 - meter relay, he retired with the Japanese team in the lead.

His breakthrough as a world record holder he had in 1931. Having outbid several times the Japanese record in the long jump, he achieved this year with 7.98 m, a world record. At the Olympic Games 1932 in Los Angeles, he was one of the favorites in the two jumping events. In the long jump, he won the bronze medal behind the two Americans Ed Gordon ( Gold) and Lambert Redd (silver). A few days later he won the gold medal in the triple jump, ahead of Sweden's Erik Svensson (Silver) and his compatriot Ōshima Kenkichi ( bronze), with a width of 15.72 m, which also meant a world record. Both world records he held until 1935, when Jesse Owens in the long jump and Jack Metcalfe found improved his marks in the triple jump. In the 4 x 100 - meter relay, he came with the Japanese quartet to fifth place.

After his playing career Nambu worked as a sports journalist for the Mainichi Shimbun, but had continued in sports. He was coach of the Japanese Athletics Association and was manager of the Japanese Olympic team for the Games in Tokyo in 1964. He was awarded the International Olympic Committee for his contribution in sports 1992.