The Olympic High Jump Champion, Richard Douglas Fosbury, popularly known as Dick Fosbury, passed away on March 12, 2023, at the age of 76 at Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States of America. Fosbury was battling a recurrence of lymphoma, a form of cancer, which he had originally been diagnosed with, in 2008. He was considered as one of the most influential athletes in the history of track and field. He brought fame to high jumping with a radically different technique at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City and won the gold medal. He jumped back first to clear the bar. This technique has since been called after his name, Fosbury Flop and is used by all high jumpers today. Earlier, the straddle and scissor jump techniques were common. But when foam matting was introduced to break the athletes’ fall, Fosbury used his new technique for the first time on the world stage.
With ‘back-first’ technique, Fosbury shifted his centre of gravity and revolutionised a discipline.
His Life Fosbury was born in Portland, Oregon, on March 6, 1947. He started experimenting with a new technique of high jump when he was 16, attending Medford High School. After graduating from the school, he enrolled himself at the Oregon State University in Corvallis. At the university, he stood up for a black football player and raised his first in solidarity with civil rights protest at the games. He also ran as a Democrat against incumbent Republican Representative Steve Miller. He succeeded in 2019 Larry Scholu as Blaine Country Commission.
His Career Fosbury set an Olympic record of 2.24 metres (seven feet and three inches) in 1968. In the next Olympics in 1972 at Munich, 28 out of the total 40 competitors used Fosbury technique. Fosbury’s Olympic record stood until 1976 Olympics in the Montreal.
Fosbury’s gold and his contribution to the sport also earned him a spot in the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, in 1981. He was always true to the Olympic values and served the Olympic Movement in a number of functions, including as President of World Olympians. He always remained involved in athletics throughout his life, sharing his knowledge and skill with future generations. Therefore, be would forever be remembered as an outstanding Olympic Champion.
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