Tentoglou soars to 8.66m, tying Greek record, but 'lost the best jump of my life'

Performance in Volos

Miltos Tentoglou delivered one of the finest series of his career at the Greek Championships in Volos on 26 July 2026, posting four jumps beyond 8.50 metres and three past 8.60m. His third-round leap of 8.66m with a legal +1.0 m/s wind equalled the national record held by Louis Tsatoumas since 1 June 2007. The mark is also the world-leading distance for 2026, surpassing the 8.61m Tentoglou himself had jumped earlier this month at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco. His opener of 8.52m with +1.1 m/s already broke his own championship record of 8.48m from 2021, and a wind-aided 8.66m in round two hinted at what was to come.

A missed opportunity

Despite the historic performance, Tentoglou was visibly frustrated.

I lost the last jump, which was by far the best I have ever made in my life. I lost ten centimetres from the board and I lost the landing. It was a huge jump and I lost it.

He said he wanted something "much more" and specifically had 8.70m in mind. The Olympic champion noted he keeps missing chances on his final attempts, a pattern he cannot shake. His second-round 8.66m was also perfect, he felt, but he thought it was a foul and did not fully commit, pulling back his leg early and not filling the jump.

Attempt-by-attempt

1. 1st attempt8.52m (+1.1 m/s) – new championship record
2. 2nd attempt8.66m (+2.7 m/s) – wind-aided, not record-eligible
3. 3rd attempt8.66m (+1.0 m/s) – equals national record
4. 4th attemptFoul – did not hit the board
5. 5th attemptDeliberate pass
6. 6th attempt8.64m (+0.7 m/s)

The sequence from Volos: 8.52m, 8.66m (wind +2.7), 8.66m (wind +1.0, record), foul, pass, 8.64m. The wind-aided second jump, though massive, could not count as a record because the wind exceeded the allowable 2.0 m/s limit. The third jump sealed the equal record, and the final jump nearly surpassed it, landing at 8.64m. Tentoglou's coach, Georgi Pomashki, watched his athlete produce a series that underlined his dominance. The championships also saw Nikos Stamatonicolos take silver with 7.84m and 19-year-old Arsenis Koulouris bronze with 7.69m, a good sign ahead of Koulouris's trip to the U20 World Championships in Eugene.

Looking ahead to Birmingham

With the European Championships in Birmingham approaching, Tentoglou saw no clear threat except Italian jumper Mattia Furlani.

I don't see anyone threatening me. I always count on Furlani, but I don’t know his condition now because he had his injury. I believe if he didn't have the injury, it would be a nice battle. I consider him the best long jumper right now after me.

Tentoglou, who will aim for a third consecutive Olympic gold at Los Angeles 2028, does not chase national records, believing conditions in one stadium cannot be compared to another. He pointed to Monaco as his best competition, given the external factors there, and suggested that an 8.60m jump in one venue could translate to 8.30m in another.