Dick Fosbury, who revolutionised the excessive leap along with his revolutionary backward fashion that grew to become generally known as the ‘Fosbury Flop’, has died on the age of 76.
Fosbury’s agent Ray Schulte wrote on his social media account: “It is with a very heavy heart I have to release the news that longtime friend and client Dick Fosbury passed away peacefully in his sleep early Sunday morning after a short bout with a recurrence of lymphoma.”
Fosbury used his new approach to win the gold medal on the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, setting a brand new Games report of two.24 metres within the course of, and paving the way in which for the fashion to be universally adopted by future generations within the occasion.
Born in Portland in 1947, Fosbury started to experiment along with his new fashion, beginning with a curled run-up earlier than a twist to clear the bar backwards, throughout his time on the Oregon State athletics group, regardless of preliminary resistance from his teaching group.
It proved profitable sufficient to win the NCAA Championship and earn Fosbury a spot on the US Olympic group, taking him to Mexico the place he continued to shock his critics by efficiently clearing all his heights on the first try on the opening day of competitors.
The following day, the 21-year-old Fosbury failed in his first two makes an attempt at 2.24 however sailed clear on his third and remaining leap, ushering in a brand new period for his sport and suggesting he may go on to problem for the world report.
In reality, Fosbury would by no means once more leap as excessive as he had in Mexico City. He did not qualify to defend his crown on the 1972 Olympics, however his legacy was intact with nicely over half of the 40 excessive leap rivals by then utilizing his trademark fashion.
After his retirement, Fosbury had a quick profession in politics. In 2008 he introduced that he had been recognized with stage one lymphoma, however stated in an interview six years later that he was in remission and away from the illness.
Fosbury is survived by his spouse Robin Tomasi, son Erich and stepdaughters Stephanie Thomas-Phipps and Kristin Thompson.
