World record holder and 2000 Olympic Champion Jonathan Edwards talks about his magnificent triple jump of 18.43 metres at the SPAR European Cup in Lille in 1995 … and what the event means to him.

Edwards on his world beating jump …

I never dreamt that I would jump over 18 metres,” says Edwards. “I had jumped the previous week in Lille in poor weather and managed 17.46m, so I had got a feel for the place, where the warm-up area was and so on. The week before that I had jumped a new UK record of 17.58m in Loughborough, so I knew that I could jump a long way.

“It was a beautiful day with a strong tailwind - in fact, it turned out to be a bit too strong. But I had no idea that I would jump more than 18 metres.

“In the first round I did 17.90m with virtually no step phase. I was flabbergasted, and on the second jump I just nailed it. There were no markers where I landed so I knew that it was huge, but 18.43 …

“It was close to the most amazing day of my career. I had done something that no-one else had done.

“The next round I jumped a legal 17.72m, which was a new UK record. In the fourth round I went to 18.39m. I withdrew then from the competition, I was just emotionally drained.

“I can remember the other competitors shaking my hand. Everyone seemed staggered.”

The mark could not be accepted as a record because of a following wind of 2.4 metres per second but it hinted at the summer to come in which he was to set three world records - 17.98 metres in Salamanca, and 18.16 and 18.29 metres in Gothenburg, the first legal jumps over 18m.

Edwards on the European Cup …

“The Cup is a good early season barometer, the first important competition of the summer. Wearing a GB vest always made it a bit more special for me.

“The beauty of the event is that every team member contributes. It is not just about the star names, everyone plays an important part.

“It’s the only team event in athletics and there is definitely a different atmosphere. It’s more like a championship, except that normally you are so focussed on your own event that you don’t take much notice of who in your team is putting the shot, for example. But in the European Cup every single event matters.

“That can also put on a bit of extra pressure. If you are down to get eight points you need to get them!”

Edwards won the triple jump in the European Cup in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002. He also competed in 1993, 1994 and 1999.