Tentoglou equals Greek long jump record with 8.66m at Panhellenic Championships

The record-breaking jumps

Miltos Tentoglou entered the Panhellenic Championships long jump final at the Pan-thessalian Stadium in Volos on 26 July 2026 and needed only three attempts to match the Greek record of 8.66 metres. His opening jump of 8.52m (+1.1 m/s wind) broke his own meet record of 8.48m set in 2021. On his second attempt he landed at 8.66m, but the wind reading of +2.7 m/s exceeded the 2.0 m/s legal limit, so the mark could not stand as a record. The third jump was perfect: again 8.66m, this time with a legal +1.0 m/s wind, officially equalling Louis Tsatoumas's 19-year-old national record. Tentoglou fouled his fifth attempt and closed with 8.64m, giving him three jumps over 8.60m and four over 8.50m in the competition.

A rare display of dissatisfaction

Despite the 8.66m mark, Tentoglou was visibly unhappy afterwards. In an interview with ERT he said he had lost a far bigger jump on his final attempt, missing the board by ten centimetres and failing to land properly.

I lost the last jump which was by far the best I've ever done. I lost ten centimetres from the board and lost the landing. It was a huge jump and I lost it. I wanted something much more. That's why I'm like this, I'm tired too. I had it today, I don't know why I lost it.

He added that he does not chase national records, and that a jump of 8.60 in one stadium can be 8.30 in another, citing the conditions in Monaco as the best he has experienced. The 8.66 mark nevertheless established the best performance in the world in 2026, surpassing his own 8.61m from the Monaco Diamond League.

What comes next

The European Championships in Birmingham are two weeks away, and Tentoglou sees no serious threat. He acknowledged Mattia Furlani as the strongest rival after himself, but noted the Italian is recovering from an injury and his condition is uncertain.

For Birmingham I don't see anyone threatening me. I always count Furlani, but I don't know what condition he's in with his injury, otherwise it would be a nice battle. I consider him the best long jumper right now after me. It's me and him.

The Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September is also on his calendar. His coach Giorgos Pomaski has guided him through a season that already included four jumps over 8.40m before Volos.

The record's legacy

Louis Tsatoumas set the previous record of 8.66m on 2 June 2007 at the Papaflesia meeting in Kalamata, winning the competition by 46 centimetres. For 19 years, the mark remained untouched even as Tentoglou collected Olympic golds, world titles and European medals. The 26-year-old from Kifissia finally put his name alongside Tsatoumas with his third jump of the afternoon.

Fan reception

After the competition ended, Tentoglou spent a long period signing autographs and posing for photos with spectators at the Pan-thessalian Stadium. The crowd's enthusiasm reflected the popularity of the country's most decorated active track-and-field athlete.