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The Great Dick Fosbury died last Sunday

 
Chrissy 2023-03-17 20:47:03 

Dick Fosbury - the man who revolutionised the high jump in athletics - has died at the age of 76.

The American leapt backwards over the bar to win gold at the 1968 Mexico Olympics in a technique which became known as the 'Fosbury Flop' and is used by high jumpers today.

At the Games Fosbury set a then record of 2.24 metres using his method.

 
DirtyDan 2023-03-17 21:36:00 

In reply to Chrissy

For some fellas it was way before last Sunday sad sad sad

The Flop

 
FanAttick 2023-03-17 21:36:07 

In reply to Chrissy

RIP…legend

 
camos 2023-03-17 22:19:31 

The man that made the scissors obsolete!

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-18 00:10:41 

The two names that will live in track & field perpetuity are Fosbury and Beamon (Beamonesque).

 
Chrissy 2023-03-18 00:51:25 

In reply to JoeGrine
Yep

 
StumpCam 2023-03-18 03:37:52 

In reply to JoeGrine

My early years in high school, mid 70s, I read about the two world beaters!
May his soul RIP!

 
Brerzerk 2023-03-18 05:26:39 

In reply to Chrissy
Wow, how did I miss that? What an innovator, can never forget the day a batchmate (high school) 'Flopped 6ft. He had been secretly practicing the new innovation and 'buss it pon wi' one evening. Man Pandemonium on the sports field.

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-18 10:52:49 

In reply to StumpCam

Both men part of what is considered (rightly) the greatest Olympic track & field team ever 1968!

 
KTom 2023-03-18 11:29:27 

Try flopping without a foam mat (which only became commercially available in the 1960s) and see how you get on.

 
camos 2023-03-18 11:30:17 

In reply to JoeGrine
think Ja set a world record in the 4 by 100 heat,only for US to beat it in the final!

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-18 11:52:59 

In reply to camos

Actually, Jamaica equaled the record in the heat (38.6) then broke it in the semis only to finish 4th in the finals.

 
camos 2023-03-18 13:54:52 

In reply to JoeGrine
got you, memory not as sharp as it used to be! lol

 
Brerzerk 2023-03-18 21:39:17 

In reply to JoeGrine
Because of injuries the best quartet wasn't available I think,
But, breaking and setting WR thrice in one meet is inconcievable
so I doubt we'd have beaten that great US team that broke our semi-final
record

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-19 06:48:34 

In reply to Brerzerk

We will never know, however, the Rum Shop is where we speculate. Remember the USA ran their absolute best team. Jamaica on the other hand ran a make-shift team:

1) Stewart - a XLCR schoolboy ran lead-off instead of Donald Quarrie (himself a C'Down schoolboy)
2) Fray - ran the leg he was slated for
3) Forbes - a 400m man ran for Lawson
4) Miller - ran the leg he was slated for

despite the changes we equaled (heats) then broke (semis) the record. The make-shift nature of the team showed up in the finals when the Forbes exchanges were somewhat mishandled. At full strength, we are at worse finishing second and I would not have been surprised with a win.