American high jumper Richard Douglas Fosbury, sometimes known as Dick Fosbury, was a professional. He was recognized as one of the most important competitors in the annals of track and field.
The athlete’s back-first method, which was novel at the time and dramatically changed the high jump competition, helped him win a gold medal in the 1968 Olympics.
After Douglas, almost all high jumpers adopted the method. With his unique strategy, Fosbury was able to fly with a lower center of gravity. The high jumper approached the bar while running diagonally, coiled, and sprang backward over it.
Doughlas stayed involved in athletics after retirement and served on the executive board of the World Olympians Association.
In a 2014 race for a seat in the Idaho House of Representatives, Fosbury lost to Steve Miller.
Dick prevailed in a 2018 contest against incumbent Larry Schoen, taking office as Blaine County Commissioner in January 2019.
Cause of Dick Fosbury’s Death
Dick Fosbury, a high jumper who earned an Olympic gold medal, went away at the age of 76.
On Sunday, the American tragically departed away. His “Fosbury flop” changed the sport. Recurrence of the lymphoma was listed as Dick Fosbury’s cause of death.
When fans learned of the high jumper’s passing, they were horrified and immediately began looking for the cause of Dick Fosbury’s death.
After the news of the death made its way through the media, condolences and tributes poured in for one of athletics’ most well-known individuals.
In March 2008, it was determined that Dick had stage-one lymphoma. He had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor that had engulfed his lower spine one month later.
Due to concerns about the tumor’s closeness to the spine, just part of the tumor was excised. He had chemotherapy instead.
In March 2009, the athlete stated he was in remission. The high jumper told the Corvallis Gazette-Times in a March 2014 interview that he was well and cancer-free.
However, according to the sources, Dick Fosbury’s passing resulted in cancer relapse.
His spouse, son Erich, and two stepdaughters, Stephanie and Kristin, survived the high jumper.
Fosbury’s innovative technique at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics confused both opponents and onlookers because it was very different from the conventional scissor-kick style that competitors had previously utilized.
The high jumper used his special “Fosbury flop” method to clear 2.24 meters to win the competition.
Obituary for Dick Fosbury
Former agent Ray Schulte said on Instagram that it was difficult for him to break the news that Dick Fosbury, @dickfosbury68, had passed away peacefully in his sleep early on Sunday morning following a brief illness caused by a relapse of cancer.
Ato Bolden, a former world 200-meter champion, tweeted Dick Fosbury passed away on Sunday and expressed his condolences to his family and friends after learning of his demise. From a sport that will always be thankful, good luck, Fos.
The high jumper was a member of the US National Hall of Fame, the Global Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, and the US Olympic Hall of Fame.
Dick Fosbury previously served as president of both the International Olympians Association and the US Olympian and Paralympic Association.
Fosbury will take on a second term as a Blaine County Commissioner in 2020. There aren’t any funeral services scheduled for now, and no information has been made public.
The athlete has a degree in civil engineering technology from Oregon State University. He is a former civil engineer, land surveyor, and co-founder of Galena Engineering.
For 25 years, Dick served as the city of Ketchum’s municipal engineer. The sportsman also held leadership positions on the Friedman Memorial Airport Authority and the Southern Idaho Solid Waste District.
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