Jaime Jefferson Guilarte (; born 17 January 1962) is a retired Cuban long jumper. A predecessor of the greatest Cuban long jumper, Ivan Pedroso, he was also capable of big jumps, taking more international medals in a career that spanned for over a decade.
Career His first notable success were 1983 Pan-American Games in Caracas where he won the gold. Jefferson improved his long jump personal best to 8.37m in 1984, but was deprived of competing at the L.A. Olympics through Cuban boycott. Over the next decade and a half, he amassed several medals from Central American Games and Championships, winning the golds at Champs in 1985 and CAC Games in 1986. Jaime also won two golds at World University Games - first in Kobe in 1985, second in Duisburg in 1989. At the Pan-American Games in Indianapolis in 1987, he improved his PB to 8.51m to collect bronze medal behind Carl Lewis and Larry Myricks (both USA), but couldn't reproduce that at the World Championships in Rome finishing 6th with 8.14m.
1988 was again frustrating because of another Olympic Cuban boycott, but Jaime continued to compete with even more success in 90's. He recorded his career best long jump of 8.53m in 1990 and had great season in 1991, winning silver at the World Indoor Championships in Seville and reclaiming Pan-American title he lost in 1987, winning in his home country in Havana with 8.26m. Only disappointment of the season was subpar 9th-place finish in the greatest long jump competition ever, World Championships in Tokyo. Next season finally brought Jefferson's first Olympic appearance and he finished creditable 5th in Barcelona, again behind great Carl Lewis. Jaime added World Indoor bronze in 1993 at Toronto, but his career was obviously on the wane in his thirties as he was unable to qualify for the final in major outings 1993 and 1995 World Championships and 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Jaime Jefferson won his final international medal at 1997 CAC Championships in San Juan where he finished behind his famous compatriot Ivan Pedroso, by then World's finest long jumper, and retired at the end of the season.
International competitions Representing 1983Central American and Caribbean ChampionshipsHavana, Cuba3rdLong jump8.03 mPan American GamesCaracas, Venezuela1stLong jump8.03 mIbero-American ChampionshipsBarcelona, Spain1stLong jump7.93 m1985Central American and Caribbean ChampionshipsNassau, Bahamas1stLong jump8.13 mUniversiadeKobe, Japan1stLong jump8.07 m1986Central American and Caribbean GamesSantiago, Dominican Republic1stLong jump8.34 m1987World Indoor ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United States10thLong jump7.78 mPan American GamesIndianapolis, United States3rdLong jump8.51 mWorld ChampionshipsRome, Italy6thLong jump8.14 m1988Ibero-American ChampionshipsMexico City, Mexico1stLong jump8.37 m1989World Indoor ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary5thLong jump7.96 mCentral American and Caribbean ChampionshipsSan Juan, Puerto Rico2nd4 × 100 m relay39.89 s1stLong jump7.96 mUniversiadeDuisburg, West Germany1stLong jump7.98 mWorld CupBarcelona, Spain8thLong jump6.52 m11990Goodwill GamesSeattle, United States6thLong jump7.98 mCentral American and Caribbean GamesMexico City, Mexico2ndLong jump8.06 m1991World Indoor ChampionshipsSeville, Spain2ndLong jump8.04 mPan American GamesHavana, Cuba1stLong jump8.26 mWorld ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan9thLong jump7.94 m1992Olympic GamesBarcelona, Spain5thLong jump8.08 m1993World Indoor ChampionshipsToronto, Canada3rdLong jump7.98 mWorld ChampionshipsStuttgart, Germany15th (q)Long jump7.86 mCentral American and Caribbean GamesPonce, Puerto Rico3rdLong jump7.85 m1994Ibero-American ChampionshipsMar del Plata, Argentina1stLong jump7.82 m (w)1995Pan American GamesMar del Plata, Argentina2ndLong jump8.23 mWorld ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden21st (q)Long jump7.84 m1996Ibero-American ChampionshipsMedellín, Colombia2ndLong jump8.28 m (w)Olympic GamesAtlanta, United States31st (q)Long jump7.65 m1997Central American and Caribbean ChampionshipsSan Juan, Puerto Rico2ndLong jump8.01 m (w) 1Representing the Americas
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