Naoto Tajima

Naoto Tajima

Naoto Tajima (left) with Jesse Owens (middle) and Luz Long (right)

Naoto Tajima (田島 直人 Tajima Naoto, August 15, 1912 – December 4, 1990) was a Japanese athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He won a gold medal in the triple jump (setting a new world record in that event), and won a bronze medal in the long jump, behind Jesse Owens and Lutz Long.

Born in Iwakuni, Tajima graduated from Kyoto Imperial University just prior to competing in the Olympics. His gold medal was Japan's last Olympic track and field gold medal until Naoko Takahashi won the women's marathon in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

References


Records
Preceded by
Australia Jack Metcalfe
Men's Triple Jump World Record Holder
1936-08-06 1950-12-03
Succeeded by
Brazil Adhemar da Silva