Lena Jordan
{{short description|Russian gymnast}}
{{Use British English| date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
File:Jordans Flying Circus, 1897.jpg
Lena Jordan (1880/81{{cite news| url= http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14116413| title= Theatre Royal| work=The Sydney Morning Herald| via=Trove| page=8| date=18 May 1897| accessdate=9 November 2017}} – unknown) was a Russian gymnast, who performed in circuses during the 19th century. In 1897, Jordan was the first recorded person to perform a triple somersault.
Career
Jordan started doing gymnastics in the Russian Empire (now Latvia) in 1892. She initially worked for the Flying Jordans circus. It was claimed that she performed a triple somersault during a routine in the US in 1896, although this has not been officially recognised.{{cite book| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=f1sZBwAAQBAJ&q=Lena+Jordan+triple+somersault| title= Victorian Traffic: Identity, Exchange, Performance| last=Thomas| first=Sue| publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing| page=184| date=May 2009| isbn= 9781443810258| access-date=9 November 2017}} In May 1897, Jordan, aged 16, became the first recorded person to perform a triple somersault during a routine in Sydney, Australia.{{cite news| url= https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4145836.html| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171110061804/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4145836.html| url-status= dead| archive-date= 10 November 2017| title= Lena Jordan: Set Record For Daring Trapeze Stunt| work=Chicago Sun-Times| via=Highbeam| date=15 December 1992| accessdate=9 November 2017}}{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/19/archives/trapeze-the-quest-for-the-impossible-quadruple-somersault-trapeze.html| title= Trapeze| work=The New York Times| last=Culhane | first=John| date=19 March 1978| accessdate=9 November 2017}}{{cite news| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1983/04/02/circus-lives/efae4def-4d07-4372-997f-4e9118ac9fcb/| title= Circus Lives| last=Williams| first=Christian| work=The Washington Post| date=2 April 1983| accessdate=9 November 2017}} Jordan later joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus, during which time she performed the triple somersault 28 times. For many years, Ernest Clarke was wrongly attributed as performing the first recorded triple somersault. However, he first performed a triple somersault in 1909, 12 years after Jordan. In 1975, the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged Jordan as the record holder.
References
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Category:Russian circus performers
Category:19th-century circus performers
Category:Year of birth uncertain
Category:Year of death missing