Prinstein, Meyer

Meyer Prinstein, original name Mejer Prinsztejn, (born Dec. 22, 1878, Szczuczyn, Pol.—died March 10, 1925, New York, N.Y., U.S.), American jumper who won three gold medals in Olympic competition in the early 20th century.

As a student at Syracuse University, Prinstein set a world record in the long jump, 7.24 metres (23 feet 8.875 inches), in 1898. He finished second in the long jump to his great rival, Alvin Kraenzlein, in an intercollegiate meet the next year, then beat Kraenzlein in 1900 with another world-record leap, this time of 7.51 metres (24 feet 7.25 inches). At the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, he easily defeated Kraenzlein in an early round of the long jump. Although Prinstein was Jewish, Syracuse would not allow him to compete in the finals on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. Kraenzlein, however, did compete and, with the advantage of six extra jumps, beat Prinstein’s best jump by 1 cm; Prinstein had to settle for a silver medal.

Prinstein returned to competition the next day, winning the triple jump. He again won the triple jump in the 1904 St. Louis (Missouri) Olympics, where he also won the gold medal in the long jump. The Amateur Athletic Union long-jump champion in 1898, 1902, and 1906, Prinstein won a gold medal for his long jump at the 1906 “Intercalated” Games in Athens.