Dick Fosbury

Richard Douglas Fosbury (born March 6, 1947) is an American retired high jumper, who is considered one of the most influential and inspirational athletes in the history of track and field. Besides winning a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, he revolutionized the high jump event, with a unique "back-first" technique, now known as the Fosbury Flop, adopted by almost all high jumpers today. His method was to sprint diagonally towards the bar, then curve and leap backwards over the bar, which gave him a much lower center of mass in flight (it was actually below his body) than traditional techniques. He continues to be involved in athletics and serves on the executive board of the World Olympians Association. In 2014 Fosbury ran for a seat in the Idaho House of Representatives. Canadian high jumper Debbie Brill concurrently developed a similar technique called the "Brill Bend" but Fosbury's Olympic success brought worldwide fame to his name for the technique.