Athlete Dick Fosbury died on Sunday at the age of 76. This is reported by international news agencies. Fosbury changed the high jump by introducing a new way of jumping that was later named after him. The American had been suffering from lymph node cancer for a long time.
The revolutionary way of jumping, which was soon dubbed the Fosbury flop, is still used by high jumpers today. Instead of face down over the bar, Fosbury jumped backwards after an oblique run-up, a technique he developed in high school.
At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, Fosbury was the only athlete to use the jumping technique. He broke a then Olympic record (2.24 meters) and won Olympic gold. Dozens of athletes used his technique at the following Games and in 2023 almost every high jumper will do the Fosbury flop.
Ray Schulte, Fosbury’s manager, called him “one of the most influential athletes in the history of athletics” in a statement. Fosbury is said to have died in his sleep.
Also read this interview from 2012: Dick Fosbury is just like his flop: cross and deviant