Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Dick Fosbury is genuinely one of those athletes whose entire legacy boils down to a single, audacious idea — and I mean that as the highest compliment possible. Before him, high jumpers went over the bar face-down; he showed up at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics doing it backwards, arching his spine over the bar like it was the most natural thing in the world, and walked away with gold. Coaches thought he was nuts. He proved them wrong so completely that every serious high jumper on the planet has been copying him ever since. That's not just winning a medal — that's rewriting a sport's physics forever. A Portland kid from North Medford High who changed an Olympic event for all time. He passed away in March 2023 at 76, but "the Fosbury flop" will outlive all of us.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dick Fosbury
- Name (Japanese)
- ディック・フォスベリー
- Reading
- でぃっく・ふぉすべりー
- Born
- March 6, 1947 – March 12, 2023
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Boar
- Origin
- Portland, Oregon, United States
- Height
- 193 cm
- Occupation
- athletics competitor / politician / athlete / Olympic competitor
2. Background
- High school
- North Medford High School
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Fosbury flop | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Dick Fosbury born?
March 6, 1947 – March 12, 2023.
Where is Dick Fosbury from?
Dick Fosbury is from Portland, Oregon, United States.
What does Dick Fosbury do?
Dick Fosbury works as athletics competitor, politician, athlete, Olympic competitor.
How tall is Dick Fosbury?
Dick Fosbury is 193 cm.
What is Dick Fosbury known for?
Notable works include Fosbury flop.
Athletics competitor — see all → · Politician — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.