Anger was the overriding emotion for Tyrone Smith who jumped beyond eight metres four times but could not produce the “haymaker” leap to land him a Pan Am Games medal.

Smith finished fourth in last night’s long jump final with a best mark of 8.07 at the near sell-out Pan Am Athletics Stadium at York University.

He had laid down a strong marker of 8.00 in his second attempt and felt confident of chipping towards his personal best of 8.22, which would have easily been enough for the bronze medal.

But the game-changing leap strangely eluded the 30-year-old, leaving him mystified and thoroughly frustrated.

“I can’t remember the last time I was this mad after a competition,” said the two-times Olympian. “It’s probably the most I’ve jumped over eight metres without finishing on the podium.

“It’s very frustrating; I was really consistent over eight, but I just didn’t have the haymaker. That’s what I like to call it.

“I’ve been heartbroken after a competition, but anger is a whole new emotion for me. I’m finding it hard to deal with.”

In his sixth and final leap, Smith thought he had unlocked the magical distance, throwing his arms aloft in celebration. In hindsight, his brief moment of euphoria may have been borne more out of desperation than any real conviction, with the door leading to a podium slamming shut when it emerged his attempt stood only at 8.07.

“It think that was a little bit of hope,” Smith said. “I felt it might have been between 8.10 and 8.20. When I looked over and saw another 8.00, I was like ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’.

“Most days I’ll take that, but I was hoping to be in the medals. I really thought it was going to be a personal best day.

“I think it was something to do with my take off as I wasn’t getting in a very good landing position. I couldn’t quite figure it out.”

True to form, Jeff Henderson, the world’s leading jumper claimed the gold medal with a huge opening jump of 8.54. That leap was wind assisted, but just for good measure Henderson, of the United States, posted a legal 8.52 in his final attempt.

His compatriot Marquise Goodwin is more used to powering his way to end zones than sandpits these days.

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver returned to the long jump in style, touching down for silver with a jump of 8.27. It was his first major international competition since finishing tenth at the 2012 London Olympics. Taking the bronze medal with a jump of 8.17 was Emiliano Lasa, of Uruguay, who fouled five of his attempts.

“It’s an interesting sport sometimes: I got four jumps over eight metres and [Lasa] had five fouls and gets a bronze medal,” said Smith, who fouled his first attempt.

“Then you’ve get Marquise who comes back from the NFL and jumps an 8.27.”

Smith was in no mood to search for positives from his encouragingly consistent performance in Toronto. He could not deny, however, that all signs point towards a promising World Championships in Beijing next month.

“Going into the World Championships, it definitely bodes well having four jumps over eight metres,” Smith said. “It’s just hard to be happy about anything right now.

“It’s hard to jump over eight and not be on the podium.”