 Dick Fosbury, pioneer of the back-first technique in the high jump and winner at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, 64, speaks during a press conference at Daegu Stadium, Monday. |
By Yoon Chul
DAEGU — Dick Fosbury, the U.S. athlete who revolutionized the high jump event in the 1960s, predicted that women could jump as high as 2.13 meters.
“I think the women have a better chance to jump a little higher, in English terms seven feet (2.13 meters),” Fosbury told The Korea Times at the adidas Media Center in the Daegu Stadium, Monday.
“(They are) close to the limit — if the athlete can avoid injuries and develop over a long period, they could jump a little higher.”
“I hope to see that result in the next 20 years,” the 64-year-old said.
For men, he said that he has been hoping for the last 30 years to see men reach 2.5 meters.
The 1968 Mexico City Olympic champion set the then-Olympic record of 2.24 meters by introducing a “back-first” technique, applied by all high jumpers today. Before Fosbury’s technique, now known as the Fosbury flop, athletes mostly used the straddle approach by jumping forward.
Fosbury explained why he used the technique.
“To stop losing. At the time I was the worst on my team, worst in the district and in the state,” he said. “I changed during competition so there was no model. The coach had no idea. Just trying to change my body position to be able to jump higher.”
The high jump event has not seen a new world record in men’s or women’s events for some time.
The current record holders are 1992 Olympic champion Javier Sotomayor of Cuba, who jumped 2.45 meters July 27, 1993, in the men’s event; and Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria, who recorded 2.09 meters on Aug. 30, 1987, in the women’s.
In order to set new world records, Fosbury stressed competition and finding the right circumstances.
He emphasized applying physical strength over technique for young athletes.
“The first thing for young athletes is physical conditioning. They need to have a regular, consistent routine of training for physical fitness.
“And whether you are training for high jump specifically or any other sport, as long as you are playing that game and you have focused determination, the athletes will really begin to be consistent in the training,” the high jump legend added. “Not all athletes are strong enough to jump as high as they could.”
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