Who is Chris Spell? World record jumper on ‘The Bachelorette’
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (BVM) – Here are five facts about Chris, the world record jumper who is competing on Season 20 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” His full name is Christopher Spell and he’s well-known in the athletics/jumping/dunking community.
The 27-year-old from White Plains, New York, is one of 25 contestants vying for love on the hit reality TV dating show – which is set to premiere on June 26. Here’s some information on his athletic career.
1. Chris currently holds two Guinness World Records
In February 2021, Chris broke the world record for the highest standing box jump (shown below) when he leaped 1.70 meters/5-feet-7-inches – an impressive feat considering that he’s 5-foot-9.
@guinnessworldrecords Highest standing jump (male): 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) by Christopher Spell @againstoddsathletics 🇺🇸
Then, in November 2021, Chris broke the world record for the highest-standing backward somersault. He recorded 1.47 meters, which is 4 feet and 10.25 inches (shown here).
Notably, Chris is currently training for another Guinness World Record. In May, he showed that he can jump almost 53 inches on a single-leg box jump (the current Guinness World Record is 54.49 inches).
2. Chris is a viral internet sensation
Chris has gotten hundreds of millions of views across his jump videos that appear to defy the laws of gravity. He can seamlessly jump over people and cars.
He’s been featured by the likes of SportsCenter, Good Morning America and House of Highlights. His standing vertical jump posted on Dunkademics (shown below) was viewed nearly 10 million times.
3. Chris played Division I football
At the start of Chris’ college career, he played D-III football at Hartwick College. As a wide receiver, he made 14 receptions for 158 yards in eight games.
By 2016, Chris joined the Buffalo Bulls as a walk-on receiver. As a junior, he played in four games but didn’t record a catch.
Chris dreamed of becoming an NFL player. He tried out for Canadian and Arena football leagues and once considered the XFL. But, it turned out that jumping was his real calling.
4. Chris coaches athletes on how to jump higher
Chris makes a living as the owner of Against Odds Athletics Inc. – which is a personal training corporation. He trains the next generation of track and field jumpers and basketball players.
He claims he can coach athletes to jump six-plus inches thanks to his coaching methods that factor in everything from torso positioning to acceleration.
He also makes short informational videos for his 130,000 followers on Instagram and 174,000 on TikTok. He also provides free tips on his YouTube page.
5. Chris competes in dunk competitions
Chris more recently flew out to Paris to compete in the Quai 54 dunk contest that was judged by NBA players Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson.
He refers to himself as a “professional dunker” on LinkedIn. Although he’s only 5-foot-9, the world-class jumper can make a high impact on the basketball court.
