The Olympic champion and world record holder raised in North Devon

Regarded as the greatest triple jumper of all time, the story of Jonathan Edwards began at West Buckland School, just a few miles outside of Barnstaple.

He would go on to attend Durham University and later broke the triple jump world record, a record that still stands today, 30 years on. Not content with one historic leap. Edwards also won Olympic Gold at the Sydney Games in 2000, but the West Buckland record belongs to another.

Talking to the Go Wild Podcast in partnership with PUMA, Edwards said: “I actually don't hold the triple jump record at my school! So, I might have the world record, but the triple jump record at my school is held by a guy called Stephen who went on to play rugby for England.” 

Stephen turns out to be Steve Ojomoh, who, alongside another member of the West Buckland alumni, Victor Ubogu, represented England in international rugby union.

Despite missing out on that one local accolade, Edwards hold the greatest record of them all, and admitted he would love to keep hold of it.

“I'd be upset [to lose the record], for sure. It's been so long, it's almost part of me. It's more than I could ever, ever hope to achieve in sport, so I'll be fine but it will be a sad day. It would be pretty cool to be on my deathbed and still a world record holder.

“There was always something about the triple jump, which sort of resonated with me. I was good at it, but I loved the rhythm of it.

“My vertical jump or a horizontal jump or a standing triple jump - rubbish. I was strong in the gym, but my actual basic jumping ability wasn't good.”

As well as his amazing athletic ability, in his prime, Edwards was well known for his strong Christian beliefs and his dedication to academia.

“I loved my sport, that's what I enjoyed the most,” he said. “But my focus was always on my studies because we were growing up when professional sport didn't exist. Not In the way that it exists now, so I was I was very much focused on studying hard, going to university, getting a degree and getting a job.

“I look back now, I think I was mad. I could have been getting a good job working for a bank or doing my accountancy exams and following a career path. And there I was on unemployment benefit, living in Newcastle, which was a shock to my system.

“I think that as a general principle, people who achieve great things are just ordinary people. And I think for young people to understand the extraordinary things they've done by people who breathe the same air, eat the same food, probably have all the same doubts that they have, is a really important message, because you can think, well, that's just me.”

Jonathan Edwards is an athletics icon and the journey began in the beautiful, humble surroundings of North Devon.