Dick Fosbury "Flops" into Olympic Heaven

[Spaztecs]

The progenitor of the " Fosbury Flop" has passed away. Dick's new technique was first disapproved of by his Track Coach at Oregon State, but it led him to Olympic Gold in Mexico City. His style finally became the accepted technique in the early 70's and is still used today.

 

 

[crixus]

Dick Fosbury's "flop" made the high jump much more interesting. May he rest in peace. 

[Swoll Cracker]

I had a friend in high school who was an average distance runner. 5’9” and slender. In 1969, a year after Fosbury won gold in Mexico City, my buddy started to screw around with the Fosbury Flop. He entered a summer track meet and got to 5’10” immediately. He began working at it and by his senior year set a school record, jumping 6’7”.  He went on to be All Ivy League at Yale. You could say that Fosbury changed his trajectory.

[Nevada Convert]

On 3/17/2023 at 9:59 AM, Swoll Cracker said:

I had a friend in high school who was an average distance runner. 5’9” and slender. In 1969, a year after Fosbury won gold in Mexico City, my buddy started to screw around with the Fosbury Flop. He entered a summer track meet and got to 5’10” immediately. He began working at it and by his senior year set a school record, jumping 6’7”.  He went on to be All Ivy League at Yale. You could say that Fosbury changed his trajectory.

Smart guy. I used to do high jump when I was in junior high, but I wasn’t tall enough. I suppose I could’ve continued to do it in high school and got a scholarship at a Poison Ivy League school, but that would’ve been just too painful. 

[Spot50B]

Good thing he didn't try to do that in this era. It would have cost him a one shot technical.

 

[crixus]

A fine example of the Fosbury Flop here. Go Spartans! 

 

[Bob]

The evolution of the high jump is interesting. Western Roll -> Straddle -> Flop. Not even sure what was before the Western Roll. Scissor kick?

[Spaztecs]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:00 AM, Bob said:

The evolution of the high jump is interesting. Western Roll -> Straddle -> Flop. Not even sure what was before the Western Roll. Scissor kick?

I believe it was a standing hop.

Many modern Oly events are either carry overs from the Original Greek games or Military Events. 

[bsu_alum9]

Had the Russian WR holder Valeriy Brummel (7’-6”)not gotten into a motorcycle accident before ‘68 Olympics, would the flop have still continued to take hold?

Fosbury PR was ‘only’ 7’-4”. Many folks have jumped higher than that using other techniques. 

[Swoll Cracker]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:00 AM, Bob said:

The evolution of the high jump is interesting. Western Roll -> Straddle -> Flop. Not even sure what was before the Western Roll. Scissor kick?

I went to high school with an Asian kid. We called his high jumping technique the Egg Roll.

[Bob]

On 3/20/2023 at 1:46 PM, bsu_alum9 said:

Had the Russian WR holder Valeriy Brummel (7’-6”)not gotten into a mortorcycle accident before ‘68 Olympics, would the flop have still continued to take hold?

Fosbury PR was ‘only’ 7’-4”. Many folks have jumped higher than that using other techniques. 

Hmmm. That begs the question is the Flop is really that much better than the Roll or the Straddle. The current WR is "only" 8' 0.25". What would the WR be if they were not using the Flop today?