Visitors to the American hospitality House at Vinopolis on Bankside in Southwark don’t have to walk far for a reminder of past Olympic triumphs by US athletes.

The Anchor, Bankside © Neil Sinclair 2012

Less than a hammer’s throw from Vinopolis is the historic Anchor tavern. Marked on the Thameside path outside the Anchor is a tribute to one of the greatest ever Olympic achievements – the world record-breaking long jump by America’s Bob Beamon.

Bob Beamon pavement (c) Neil Sinclair 2012

He smashed the world long jump record by almost 2ft with a jump of 8.9 metres or 29ft 2 1/2in at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Beamon’s record stood for over 20 years. 

His astonishing leap is measured out for aspiring athletes to match – if they can. But if you prefer to make American connections without breaking sweat, join the leisurely Footprints of London guided walks along the Thames on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings during the Olympic Games.

In an approximately two and a half mile amble downriver, you’ll find out where Renee Zellweger had her famous ‘big pants’ scene with Hugh Grant in Bridget Jones’s Diary, see where Robert Harvard, father of Harvard University benefactor John, is buried, hear gory tales about pirate executions and much more.

The whole nine yards, in fact.