In what athletics event might you use a ‘Fosbury Flop’?

High jump.

The Fosbury Flop is a technique used in the high jump, a track and field athletics event where athletes attempt to leap over a horizontal bar without knocking it down. This revolutionary technique was pioneered by American athlete Dick Fosbury during the late 1960s and forever changed the way the high jump is performed.

Before the Fosbury Flop, high jumpers primarily used techniques such as the scissors jump, the western roll, and the straddle technique, which involved facing the bar or jumping sideways over it. However, Fosbury’s approach, which he debuted competitively in 1963 and perfected over time, involved running toward the bar in a curved path, jumping with his back to the bar, and arching his body in a way that allowed his head and shoulders to clear the bar first, followed by his hips and legs.

The innovation of the Fosbury Flop came from its biomechanical efficiency. By arching his back during the jump, Fosbury was able to position his center of gravity below the bar while his body cleared it, requiring less energy compared to traditional techniques. This advantage became evident when Fosbury used the flop to win the gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, setting an Olympic record of 2.24 meters (7 feet 4 1/4 inches).

Following Fosbury’s historic victory, the Fosbury Flop quickly became the standard technique for high jumpers worldwide. It remains the dominant method used by elite athletes in the event, demonstrating its effectiveness and Fosbury’s enduring legacy in the sport.