The original triple jump as practised by the Greeks was no more than three long jumps one after another. The Celts invented a style of three jumps in a continuous action and this was regulated at the end of the XIX century, first by the Irish and then by the Americans.

Originally a hop-hop-jump, with the first two hops taken from the same foot, the triple jump became the hop-step-jump after 1900.

Records of a women's triple jump contest held indoors in the USA date back to 1899 and, although it had no official recognition, the event was staged regularly, particularly in the USA, the USSR and China. The first IAAF women's world record was ratified in 1990 and the event appeared for the first time in the IAAF World Championships in 1993.