Olympic high jump champion Dick Fosbury, whose radically new jumping method led to the event being named after him, passed away on Sunday at the age of 76, according to his agent Ray Schulte.
At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Fosbury won the gold medal in the high jump. To clear the bar, he jumped backward, a move known as the “Fosbury Flop” that is now employed by all high jumpers.
Who changed the high jump technique?
Dick Fosbury
How did people do high jump before Fosbury?
Before Fosbury, the majority of high jumpers employed a method known as the straddle. In this technique, the jumper crosses the bar face down while straddling it with both legs.
Did Fosbury break the world record?
Fosbury broke the world record and won the Olympic gold medal by jumping 2.24 meters (7 feet 4.25 inches) in front of a global television audience, it forever revolutionized his sport.