How High is Harry Aikines-Aryeetey's Vertical Jump?

Watching eight athletes line up in the 100 meters is always interesting to watch.

You can see the various pre-race routines like a caged tiger, including doing tuck jumps or simply doing an explosive vertical jump before settling into your blocks.

The reason is for tuck jumps or jumps in general is the Post-activation Potentiation (PAP), as it gets all the neurons and muscle fibers ready for an explosive event like the 100 meters. (You can read more about Dynamic Warm-up, Static Stretching and Post-activation Potentiation in my podcast with James Zois.)

A few years ago, I wrote a satirical piece on Jeremy Wariner, asking how high can he box jump? This was followed by 2 videos of Ato Bolden and Dwain Chambers doing at least a 60 inch box jump. Impressive.

Of course, the box jump numbers are much different compared to a true vertical jump test.

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

At the 2012 Eurpoean Championships, here is a great photo (courtesy of the IAAF) of France’s Christophe Lemaitre and UK’s Harry Aikines-Aryeetey. It looks like a David Copperfield illusion (or a great Photoshop alteration) where he has a hidden harness and invisible wires and he attempts a levitation trick.

This isn’t a trick, just good old fashion photography with a high speed camera and motor winder at several fps.

Based on the height of the Lane boxes, I would say his vertical jump is at least 30 inches, and that’s probably not a max vertical either.

How high can Harry Aikines-Aryeetey vertical jump?

This picture and Twitter post went viral (see below)

Trying to get a photo of @HarryAA100m at the 100m start line is harder than you'd think #SuperSunday #BritishChamps pic.twitter.com/dMentqlfD0

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) July 5, 2015

Thanks to Carlos Balsalobre and the My Jump App, we have the answer. Thus 78.5 cm is 30.9 inches is his jump height (not exactly a true vertical jump test). This sure beats the old MyoTest that we tested back in 2009!

The amazing jump of @HarryAA100m before the british 100m has a number: 78.5cm, measured with @MyJumpApp #jump #sprint pic.twitter.com/FrJToWNoip

— Carlos Balsalobre (@cbalsalobre) July 6, 2015

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Jimson Lee

Coach & Founder at SpeedEndurance.com

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

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