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Richard Fosbury was a track and field athlete who competed for the United States. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games. Despite only appearing at one edition of the Olympic Games, he is credited to have revolutionized the high jumping discipline with his technique and look, being the first athlete to compete with a backwards arc. It was described and documented in the official report for the Olympic Games of 1968:
"A radical new look in the high jump - Dick Fosbury approaches straight on, suddenly pivots, and soars in a backward arc to land headfirst on the foam. At last the smiling champion could relax. Before his final attempt at the Olympic-record height of 2.24, Fosbury stood frozen in concentration for two tense minutes. Then he broke for the bar, leaped and was over, to the delight of the fascinated crowd."
After his successful attempts at the height for a new Olympic record, he also attempted to break the world record, but failed on his three attempts. He passed away on 12 March 2023 at the age of 76, as the result of suffering from lymphoma.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Men's high jump | 
|
1968[]
| Discipline | Round | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High jump | Qualifying | 2.14 | |
| Final | 2.24 | OR |