Carl Lewis ranked number one, while Lewis slipped to number three, having lost more races than he won. He even seemed vulnerable in the long jump, an event he did not lose in 1986, or the year before, though he competed sparingly. Lewis ended up ranked second behind Soviet Robert Emmiyan, who had the longest legal jump of the year at . At the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome, Lewis skipped the 200 m to focus on his strongest event, the long jump, and made sure to take all his attempts. This was not to answer critics from the 1984
Harry Chamberlin finishing 18th individually, and the American team placed 8th (out of 16 nations). He later went on to compete at the 1932 Olympic Games, again riding on the event and jumping teams. He finished 4th individually on the ex-racehorse Pleasant Smiles, despite a fall on cross-country, and the team was able to clinch the first gold medal the American equestrian team had seen. In the jumping competition, Chamberlin rode the Thoroughbred Show Girl over a notoriously difficult course, and went away with the individual silver medal. A disqualification of another team member meant the Americans did not win the gold