PARIS – Salif Mane, a 2024 civil engineering graduate of FDU, finished sixth in the men's triple jump final at the Paris Olympics on Friday.
 
The 2024 Team USA Olympic Trials gold medalist soared 17.41m on his sixth jump of the final at Stada de France. This was his longest jump of the Olympics. His first jump of 17.28m was good enough to move him into the final round and earn him three more jumps.
 
View the full results of the final here.
 
"Salif Mane is a champion in all our eyes," said FDU Senior Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Bradford Hurlbut. "To overcome the odds and be the only American to make today's final is a monumental achievement and I know he will continue to do phenomenal things as his career continues. Words cannot express how proud of him all of us at FDU are. Salif is a first-class individual and someone who embodies our core values of integrity, pride, resilience, respect and unity."
 
The Bronx native qualified for Friday's final without a sweat. In Wednesday's qualifying round it took Mane just one jump to hit 17.16m. This exceeded the qualifying mark of 17.10m.
 
"Salif has captured the hearts, minds and attention of the entire FDU community," remarked FDU President Dr. Michael J. Avaltroni. "For two weeks, we have followed his journey intently, and are so proud of everything he has accomplished. The most decorated Knights athlete of all time, an NCAA champion and an Olympian are impressive, but more impressive is the character and heart of the individual who exemplifies our student body here at FDU."
 
Mane began his rise in the world rankings at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Division I National Championships in Eugene.  It was there that Mane captured the national title with a jump of 17.14m, just barely edging out fellow Olympian and Miami Hurricane Russell Robinson by .01m.
 
A few weeks later, the seven-time All-American won the Team USA Olympic Trials triple jump gold medal with a jump of 17.52m. This jump, a personal best, booked Mane's ticket to Paris.
 
Mane is just the third collegian to win the triple jump titles at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships and Team USA Olympic Trials in the same year.
 
Mane is the most-decorated athlete in FDU's 75-year Athletic history. He is the fourth Knight ever to compete for Team USA in the Olympics and the first since 1988.
 
ABOUT FDU ATHLETICS
 
FDU is home to 21 NCAA Division I teams. A member of the Northeast Conference, the Knights have had tremendous success in the classroom, in athletic competition as well as giving back to the Bergen County community. FDU became the first school in Northeast Conference (NEC) history to win championships in women's volleyball, women's soccer, and men's soccer in the same season (2022). In 2023, the Burgundy and Blue also became the first NEC school to win two games as a 16-seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, including an upset over top-seeded Purdue. As a result of its incredible 2022-23 season, FDU placed 92nd in the Learfield Director's Cup, the first NEC program to finish in the Top 100. In 2024, Salif Mane captured the Triple jump title at the 2024 NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships. Since 2019, FDU has won 15 conference titles across men's soccer, men's tennis, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's indoor track & field, women's bowling, women's golf, and women's volleyball. Off the field, FDU student-athletes were recognized for their efforts in the community by winning the NEC Building Communities Award in both 2020 and 2024. In addition to recent championships, FDU holds five additional national championships, three in sport of women's fencing and two in women's bowling.