Olugbayode Olusola Jegede (born 3 October 1985) is a British former track and field athlete who specialised in the long jump. He finished fourth in the long jump at the 2012 European Athletics Championships, just seven centimetres off a medal.
He works as a personal trainer and as mentor for young people.
Early life Jegede grew up in Hackney as the youngest of four children. He had a rough upbringing, going through a number of evictions when his mother was not able to pay rent. He attended Barking Abbey School. He wanted to become a professional footballer and was offered trials at Norwich and Tottenham Hotspur, but at the beginning of secondary school he was diagnosed with Osgood–Schlatter disease, which stopped him from playing.
He was not selected for the British team for the 2012 Summer Olympics, as he did not have the "A" standard of 8.20m. He competed at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and European Championships in Zurich, making the final in both.
After finishing runner-up three times from 2010 to 2012, Jegede finally became the British long jump champion after winning the British Athletics Championships in 2014.
Promotional work In 2011, Jegede jumped over three Mini Coopers as part of an advertising campaign for the Mini London 2012 edition models. He is involved in the Metropolitan Police's Met Track scheme, as well as Sky's Living For Sport campaign. As part of this, he has done numerous school visits.
Statistics
Personal bests EventMarkCompetitionVenueDate60 m6.97iBirmingham GamesBirmingham, Great Britain2 February 200810 0m10.89London Inter Club ChallengeHendon, Great Britain26 July 2008200 m22.42Loughborough InternationalLoughborough, Great Britain18 May 2008Long jump8.11London Grand PrixCrystal Palace, Great Britain13 July 2012
References
External links
JJ Jegede jumping over 3 Mini Coopers