Dick Fosbury Death Cause And Obituary, How Did Dick Fosbury Die?
by Ushapriyanga
Updated Mar 14, 2023
Who is Dick Fosbury?
Richard Douglas Fosbury, an American high jumper who revolutionized the high jump event with his innovative "back-first" technique known as the Fosbury Flop, passed away on March 12, 2023. He won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics and his technique became widely adopted in the sport. After retiring from athletics, Fosbury remained involved in the sport and served on the executive board of the World Olympians Association. In 2014, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Idaho House of Representatives, and in 2018, he won a seat as the Blaine County Commissioner and took office in January 2019.
Reflecting on his breakthrough, Fosbury stated, "I realized I needed to change my body position, and that's what sparked the revolution, and over the course of the next two years, the evolution." Initially, he attempted to utilize the upright scissors technique where the jumper approaches the bar straight on, facing forward, and lifts each leg over the bar individually during the jump. However, as high-jump regulations only require competitors to take off from one foot, with no stipulations on how they clear the bar, Fosbury was free to develop his innovative "back-first" technique.
Dick Fosbury Death Cause and Obituary
Dick Fosbury, the Olympic high jump champion who transformed the event with his innovative jumping technique, has passed away at the age of 76, according to his agent Ray Schulte. Fosbury famously won gold in the high jump at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where he introduced the "Fosbury Flop," a back-first technique that is now widely used by high jumpers. Schulte announced on his Instagram that Fosbury, his long-time friend, and client, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday morning after a short illness with a recurrence of lymphoma.
Dick Fosbury, the high jump innovator who revolutionized the sport with his "Fosbury Flop" technique, passed away at 76 years old. Fosbury, who had a recurrence of lymphoma, died on Sunday, according to his publicist Ray Schulte. Prior to Fosbury's approach, high jumpers cleared the bar by running parallel to it and using a straddle kick to jump over it, landing headfirst. However, at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Fosbury introduced a new technique, where he took off at an angle, jumped backward, and contorted his body into a "J" shape to soar over the bar before landing feet-first in the pit. His unconventional move caught on, and by the following Olympics, 28 out of 40 jumpers were utilizing Fosbury's innovative technique. The Fosbury Flop was adopted universally and has been the preferred technique in the high jump ever since.
“The world legend is probably used too often,” sprint great Michael Johnson tweeted. “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.”
How did Dick Fosbury die?
Dick Fosbury, the legendary high jumper who revolutionized the sport with his iconic "Fosbury flop," has passed away at the age of 76 due to lymphoma recurrence. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, Fosbury declared himself cancer-free in 2009. However, his death has come as a shock to fans and the athletics community, who have been pouring in tributes and condolences. Fosbury won a gold medal in the high jump at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, setting a new Olympic record with his unconventional technique, which replaced the traditional scissor-kick form used by athletes until then.
Dick Fosbury obituary
Following the news of Dick Fosbury's death, Ato Bolden, a former world 200-meter champion, expressed his sympathies to Fosbury's family and friends in a tweet. Fosbury, who was a member of several sports halls of fame and had held leadership positions in various sports organizations, including the US Olympian and Paralympic Association, had also been re-elected as a Blaine County Commissioner in 2020. As of now, no details about funeral services have been announced. In addition to his sports career, Fosbury had worked as a civil engineer and land surveyor and had been involved in various community organizations in Southern Idaho.
Dick Fosbury death cause and obituary - FAQs
Dick Fosbury was a former American high jumper and Olympic gold medalist who revolutionized the sport with his unique jumping technique called the "Fosbury Flop."
The Fosbury Flop was a high jumping technique invented by Dick Fosbury that involved jumping over the bar back-first while arching the back and kicking the legs over in a scissor-like motion. The technique was revolutionary and became the standard technique for high jumpers worldwide.
Dick Fosbury won his Olympic gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
In addition to his Olympic gold medal, Dick Fosbury was also a member of the Global Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, the US Olympic Hall of Fame, and the US National Hall of Fame. He served as the previous president of the US Olympian and Paralympic Association and the International Olympians Association.
Dick Fosbury was a retired civil engineer and land surveyor, as well as the co-founder of Galena Engineering. He earned a degree in civil engineering technology from Oregon State University and worked as the municipal engineer for the City of Ketchum for 25 years.