Joe Greene

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJoseph Tilford Lee "Joe"•Greene
Used nameJoe•Greene
Nick/petnamesJumpin' Joe Greene
Born17 February 1967 in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (USA)
Measurements183 cm / 70 kg
AffiliationsNYAC, New York (USA) / Mazda Optimist Track Club, (USA)
NOC United States
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 0
Bronze 2
Total 2

Biography

Joe Greene won consecutive bronze medals in the long jump at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Greene competed for The Ohio State University, graduating in 1990. He was NCAA Champion in the long jump in 1989, and finished second that year at the NCAA Indoors in the triple jump. He was an eight-time Big 10 Champion in the two horizontal jumps. In addition to his two Olympics, he competed internationally at the 1993 World Championships, but did not make the final, and he won a silver medal in the long jump at the 1993 World Indoor Championships.

Greene won his only USA title indoors in 1995 in the long jump. He won a silver at the USA Indoors in 1992 and bronzes in 1991, 1993, and 1996. Greene later went into coaching, working with the jumpers at Ohio State. He was married to German long jumper Susan Tiedtke, although they later divorced,

The divorce was another problem that afflicted him after his track career ended. He developed a connective tissue disease and made some bad investments that caused him great financial difficulty. He ended up pawning his Olympic bronze medals to Rick Harrison, owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop featured on the cable television show, “Pawn Stars.” Harrison vowed never to sell them in case Greene ever wanted them back, although eventually he sold them to an Olympic collector, Dr. Marty Urban, who returned the medals to Greene. Greene later re-married and worked as a recruiter in the healthcare industry.

Personal Best: LJ – 8.48 [27-10] (1995), 8.66Aw [28-5Aw] (1992).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1992 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Joe Greene
Long Jump, Men (Olympic) 3 Bronze
1996 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Joe Greene
Long Jump, Men (Olympic) 3 Bronze

Olympic family relations

Special Notes