Dick Fosbury
At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Richard Douglas Fosbury won a gold medal in the high jump using a technique that bore his name: the Fosbury flop.
Born on March 6, 1947, in Portland, Fosbury was an American high jumper who attended both North Medford High School and South Medford High School during his education. He went on to compete as an Olympic athlete, and his career included work as a politician in addition to his athletic pursuits. The Fosbury flop, the distinctive jumping technique associated with him, became the defining achievement of his competitive life.
Fosbury's gold medal performance at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City placed him among the notable figures in American athletics. He competed as an Olympic competitor and athletics competitor over the course of his career, establishing himself in both those roles. His occupations extended beyond sport, as the facts record his involvement in politics alongside his athletic identity.
Fosbury died on March 12, 2023, in Salt Lake City, having lived to the age of seventy-six. The Library of Congress authorized his name in its records as Fosbury, Dick — a designation that reflects the lasting institutional recognition accorded to him. The Fosbury flop, credited as his notable work, remains the concrete legacy attached to his name.
Quotes by Dick Fosbury
I didn’t train to make the Olympic team until 1968. I simply trained for the moment. I never even imagined I would be an Olympic athlete. It always seemed to evolve.
I adapted an antiquated style and modernized it to something that was efficient. I didn’t know anyone else in the world would be able to use it and I never imagined it would revolutionize the event.
I was told over and over again that I would never be successful, that I was not going to be competitive and the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do was shrug and say “We’ll just have to see”.
I was told over and over again that I would never be successful, that I was not going to be competitive and the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do was shrug and say "We'll just have to see".
I didn't train to make the Olympic team until 1968. I simply trained for the moment. I never even imagined I would be an Olympic athlete. It always seemed to evolve.
I adapted an antiquated style and modernized it to something that was efficient. I didn't know anyone else in the world would be able to use it and I never imagined it would revolutionize the event.
When you reach that elite level, 90 percent is mental and 10 percent is physical. You are competing against yourself. Not against the other athlete.