Dick Fosbury, an athletics legend who changed high jumping by introducing the “Fosbury flop,” died at the age of 76 after a battle with lymphoma, know his wife, net worth and cause of death
Fosbury, who won an Olympic gold medal, was the first athlete to jump backwards. This technique is still used today and is known around the world as the “Fosbury flop.”
At the 1968 Olympics, where he won gold with a jump of 2.24 metres, his style of jumping gave him a big edge over his competitors. Four years later, at the Olympics in Munich, 28 of the 40 athletes used the “Fosbury flop,” which is now a name for the move.
High jump athlete Dick Fosbury cause of death, obituary, net worth, wife, age, family and record
It's 54 years to the day since Dick Fosbury donned the 'Fosbury flop' and changed high jump forever 🔥
He won gold in the event at Mexico 1968 with a then Olympic record of 2.24m 🇲🇽
📹 @Olympics pic.twitter.com/JzakCJIdN1
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) October 20, 2022
Before Fosbury’s idea, high jumpers did something called a “scissor kick.” But the “Fosbury flop” changed the sport, and Fosbury’s legacy as a high jump pioneer has lasted to this day. In 1981, Fosbury became a member of the American Track and Field Hall of Fame.
Tributes pour in for Dick Fosbury
Former sprinter Michael Johnson said, “The world legend is probably used too often. Dick Fosbury was a true LEGEND! He changed an entire event forever with a technique that looked crazy at the time, but the result made it the standard.”
Former World 200m champion Ato Bolden tweeted, “R.I.P. 1968 Olympic gold medalist and high jump legend/pioneer Dick Fosbury, who passed away on Sunday. Condolences to his family and friends. Godspeed, Fos, from an eternally grateful sport.”
Who was Dick Fosbury? Age, early life, career and much more!
Dick Fosbury was a famous American track and field athlete who changed the way the high jump event was done. He was born in Portland, Oregon, on March 6, 1947. While he was at Oregon State University, he started trying out a new way to jump higher than his competitors.
Dick Fosbury has passed away at the age of 76 … pic.twitter.com/32ajsv4ZdJ
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) March 14, 2023
Fosbury’s new move, called the “Fosbury flop,” was to jump headfirst and backwards over the bar instead of the usual scissor-kick. Fosbury’s technique worked very well, and he went on to win gold at the 1968 Olympics and set a new Olympic record. High jumpers all over the world still use the “Fosbury flop” as their standard technique.
The American set a then-Olympic record of 2.24 metres to take the gold and change the sport forever, with more and more athletes attempting the back-first jump.
The track and field legend is survived by his wife Robin Tomasi, son Erich Fosbury and stepdaughters Stephanie Thomas-Phipps and Kristin Thompson.
Fosbury died Sunday after a recurrence with lymphoma, according to his publicist, Ray Schulte with his net worth at $1 million.
Fosbury Flop has been really helpful
Before the Fosbury Flop, high jumpers used a technique called the “scissor-kick.” This involved jumping over the bar with one leg in front and the other one behind, like a pair of scissors.
At the age of 76, Dick Fosbury 🇺🇲 dies.
He is considered one of the most influential athletes in history, inventing the back-first technique in the men's High Jump!
He won Gold in the event at the Olympic Games in 1968 with 2.24m. pic.twitter.com/78lQ19OYqx— oluwadare (@Track_Gazette) March 13, 2023
At first, people were sceptical about the Fosbury Flop. But it turned out to be very useful because it helps athletes jump higher and clear the bar with more ease. Fosbury’s legacy as a pioneer in the sport and a legend will be remembered for years to come.
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