Will Claye
An American jumper whose relentless consistency on the world's biggest stages made him a perennial podium threat in both the long and triple jump.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American triple jumper and long jumper·Birthday: June 13·Millennials
Biography
Will Claye has carved out a distinct legacy in track and field not with a single flash of glory, but with a decade of remarkable durability. Emerging from the shadow of his more famous training partner and friend, Christian Taylor, Claye built a career defined by silver and bronze. His Olympic story began in London 2012, where he medaled in both horizontal jumps, a rare and taxing double. For years, he was the definitive number two in the triple jump, collecting world championship silvers and bronzes behind Taylor, all while maintaining world-class form in the long jump. His persistence paid off with a world indoor title in 2018. Claye's career is a masterclass in high-level consistency, proving that being the second-best in the world at a brutally difficult event is a monumental achievement in itself.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Will was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Will Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Will's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won Olympic silver medals in the triple jump at both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games.
- Secured an Olympic bronze medal in the long jump at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Became the World Indoor Champion in the triple jump in 2018.
- Set a personal best triple jump of 18.14m in 2019, ranking him among the top five jumpers in history.
- Won multiple medals at the World Athletics Championships, including bronze in 2011 and silver in 2017.
Did You Know?
He and Christian Taylor, his longtime rival and friend, trained together under the same coach for years.
He proposed to his fiancée, Queen Harrison, on the track at the 2019 USA Outdoor Championships after winning the triple jump.
He attended the University of Florida, where he won multiple NCAA titles.
He is known for his flamboyant and colorful competition attire.
“My goal is always to jump farther than my last.”
