Jeff Henderson is an athlete. Jeff Henderson dazzled everyone with his soaring long jump in the 2016 Olympics. Jeffery won the cutthroat competition by barely 1 centimeter above his competitors. And with that, he made history for himself and his native country, the United States of America.
Jeffery went from a fantastic collegiate career to winning the big Olympic finals by combining his innate talent with relentless hard work.
Table of Contents
Family and Childhood
Jeff Henderson was born in the United States on February 19, 1989, in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
Laverne Henderson and Debra Henderson are his parents. He is the youngest of five brothers and sisters.
Jeff was always interested in athletics since he was a kid.
As a result, the Henderson brothers spent a lot of time in the neighborhood playing football.
Furthermore, Jeff used to play youth football and even for his high school squad.
Henderson later switched to track and decided to stay in the sport after realizing how good he was at it.
He was fully committed to track and field by his final year.
He won the Class 6A long jump in 2007, jumping a spectacular 23’11”.
In the same year, he broke the meet of champions record by jumping 24’0″.
Fitness and Body Measurement
Jeff Henderson stands 1.83 meters tall and has long legs that help him leap higher.
His muscular body, weighing 81 kilograms, is well equipped to run quickly before leaping high.
To keep his body agile and prevent injuries, he follows a strict training regimen and eats a special diet.
Facts of Jeff Henderson
| Full Name | Jeffery Henderson |
| Common Name | Jeff Henderson |
| Nick Name | Jeff |
| Birthdate | 19 February 1989 |
| Age | 33 years old |
| Zodiac Sign | Pisces |
| Mother’s Name | Debra Henderson |
| Father’s Name | Laverne Henderson |
| Siblings | Four elder siblings |
| Birthplace | North Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Home Town | North Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Citizenship | America |
| Residence | Chula Vista, California |
| School | Sylvan Hills High School ’09 |
| College | Stillman College ‘13 |
| Education | Bachelors in Business Administration |
| Height | 1.81 m (6 feet) |
| Weight | 81 kg (178 lb) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Shoe Size | N/A |
| Martial Status | Unmarried |
| Partner | N/A |
| Married | No |
| Children | No |
| Profession | Athlete |
| Olympics Wins | One gold (2016 Rio Olympics) |
| Achievements | 2015 Pan Am (Gold), 2019 World Athletics (Silver) |
| Personal Best | 8.58m (2015 Pan Am Games) |
| Coach | Al Joyner |
| Team | Team Adidas, Team USA |
| Status | Active |
| Hobbies | Drawing characters |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| Affiliated Brands | Adidas |
| Social Media | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram |
| Website | N/A |
| Merch | Jeff Henderson Book |
| Last-Update | May 2022 |
Net Worth and Endorsements
Jeff Henderson has a net worth of almost $1 million.
Being a track and field superstar has provided him with an adequate amount of sponsorships and endorsement deals.
Otherwise, athletes, even the Olympic gold medalist, do not make a staggering amount of money.
Fortunately for Jeff, he has dealt with the likes of Adidas. So, though it is not a lot, Jeff has earned a comfortable life for himself.
Besides his major sponsor Adidas, he has endorsed 5150nut butter, red bull, hydrogen water, etc.
Besides being an athlete, Jeff has also forayed into the business world. The athlete recently launched a clothing line with his designs.
Jeff loves drawing and creating 2D characters. Moreover, he used this ability to design graphic t-shirts sold under his brand ‘the moment.
Career in Track and Field
Academic Career
He had a good start to his collegiate career after demonstrating his ability in school.
Henderson moved to Raymond, Mississippi, in 2007 and enrolled in the Hinds community.
He had already established himself as a collegiate track and field sensation after only a few years there.
The athlete won the national junior college athletic association title in the outdoor long jump in 2008 and 2009.
He also won the indoor championship in 2008 and 2009.
In addition, the Olympian won a national title in the 4*100 meters relay.
From 2010 to 2011, he attended Florida Memorial University in Garden City after Hinds.
Henderson continued his winning record in college by winning a slew of other tournaments.
He was the national champion in the indoor 60-meter sprint for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In the men’s 100-meter dash and long jump, he was also an all-American.
Unfortunately, the skilled athlete and the college’s athletic administration had a disagreement about the management of an injury.
The gold medallist then transferred to Stillman College in Alabama.
He won the 100-meter dash and the long jump at the NCAA Division II men’s outdoor track and field championships, earning him all-American status.
Olympic Games and Professional Career
His professional career has only just begun for the Olympian, who graduated with a degree in business administration in 2013.
He relocated to California, hired Al Joyner (a former triple jump gold winner) as his coach, and signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas.
Jeff won the long jump at the USA track & field outdoor championships in 2014.
In the 2015 Pan American Games, he repeated his incredible performance.
As the 2016 Olympics neared, Jeff began to focus on a new accomplishment for his record.
All eyes were on the gifted athlete as he aced the trials.
Henderson jumped his and the Olympics’ best, a wind-aided 28-214, in qualifying for the Olympic final, leaving everyone speechless.
On his first leap in the finals, he seized the lead, but the other three competitors quickly passed him. The scenario appeared difficult, but the gold medalist prevailed with a fantastic 27-6 on his final attempt.
It was a historic moment for the United States since it was their first gold in the Olympic long jump since Athens in 2004.
Jeff dedicated his victory to his Alzheimer’s-affected mother, which added to the poignancy of the situation.
Following the Olympics
The 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships will most likely be the next large event after the Rio Olympics.
In the final event, Jeff came in second place, while Tajay Gayle of Jamaica won gold.
During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, there were almost no competitions.
Jeff used the opportunity to get ready for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Despite his best efforts, he was unable to bring home the gold this year, finishing in sixth place at 8.08m.
Personal Life and Relationships
Jeff Henderson is single as of 2022. The athlete is a private individual who rarely discusses his personal life.
In the meantime, he isn’t very active on social media.
So, we can not say for sure if he is in any relationship right now.
As he is at the peak of his career, the gold medalist has heavily dedicated his time to training and participating in competitions.
Furthermore, the Olympian is very close to his parents, mostly to his mother.
Debra Henderson has been battling Alzheimer’s for a long time now.
His mom was diagnosed in her early 50s and is now in the final stage of the disease.
The condition has gotten so worse that she struggles to walk and talk.
The loving son, Jeff, does not miss any chance to show his gratefulness to his mother.
He has said that he only thinks of two-person when he is playing, himself and his mom.
Meanwhile, the jumper is not obsessed with his competitors. After all, the biggest competition is always with yourself.
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Social Media Presence
His Facebook has 19k followers, his Instagram has 33.6k followers and his Twitter has 14.8k followers.
