George Brown (long jumper)

Brown attended Jordan High School in Los Angeles, California,[3][4] and was unknown as an athlete until his breakthrough in the spring of 1948, his junior year.

[3] On April 1, 1949, he jumped 25 ft 2+1⁄2 in (7.68 m) in a dual meet against Huntington Park High School, breaking Jesse Owens's national high school record of 24 ft 11+1⁄4 in (7.60 m) from 1933;[3][4] however, although his record was statistically valid,[3] it didn't receive official NFHS ratification as marks from dual meets were ineligible.

On May 10 he improved his personal best to 26 ft 3+1⁄4 in (8.00 m) at the West Coast Relays in Fresno, placing him third on the world all-time list behind Owens and 1948 Olympic champion Willie Steele.

[14] At the NCAA championships his winning streak was seriously threatened by Buzz Taylor, but Brown's last-round leap of 25 ft 11+1⁄8 in (7.90 m) secured him another title and victory.

[12] He had won 41 consecutive competitions going back to 1950,[12][16][17] and in a coaches' poll ahead of the Trials 29 of 31 respondents predicted that Brown would win.

[12] On his last jump Brown improved to 25 ft 1+1⁄2 in (7.66 m), overtaking Taylor by two inches to join Gourdine and Jerome Biffle on the Olympic team.