John Thomas (high jumper)
Encyclopedia
John Curtis Thomas (born March 3, 1941) is an American track and field
athlete who set several world records in the high jump
using the straddle technique
. At the age of 17, while a freshman at Boston University
, Thomas became the first man to clear 7 feet (2.13 m) indoors. He subsequently pushed the world indoor record to 7'1½" (2.17 m), and broke the world outdoor record three times, with a career best jump of 7'3¾" (2.22 m) in 1960 while just 20 years old.
Thomas' meteoric career briefly captivated the track world, but he failed to win an Olympic gold medal, despite being favored to win in both his efforts. In 1960, he took the bronze medal behind Russia's Robert Shavlakadze
(gold), and Valeriy Brumel
(silver) In 1964 he was bested again by Brumel, who cleared the same top height as Thomas, but was declared the winner based on fewer misses at lower heights. Thomas graduated from Boston University, and later became a successful coach and businessman. He is an inductee of the
USATF Hall of Fame.
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who set several world records in the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
using the straddle technique
Straddle technique
The straddle technique was the dominant style in the High Jump before the development of the Fosbury Flop. One version is called the western roll....
. At the age of 17, while a freshman at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, Thomas became the first man to clear 7 feet (2.13 m) indoors. He subsequently pushed the world indoor record to 7'1½" (2.17 m), and broke the world outdoor record three times, with a career best jump of 7'3¾" (2.22 m) in 1960 while just 20 years old.
Thomas' meteoric career briefly captivated the track world, but he failed to win an Olympic gold medal, despite being favored to win in both his efforts. In 1960, he took the bronze medal behind Russia's Robert Shavlakadze
Robert Shavlakadze
Robert Shavlakadze was a Soviet athlete who competed mainly in the high jump. He trained at Dynamo in Tbilisi.He competed for the USSR in the 1960 Summer Olympics held in Rome, Italy in the high jump where he won the gold medal....
(gold), and Valeriy Brumel
Valeriy Brumel
Valeriy Nikolayevich Brumel , 14 April 1942 – 26 January 2003) was a Soviet Olympic athlete. The 1964 Olympic champion in the Men's High Jump, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes ever to compete in the High Jump, second only to current world record holder Javier Sotomayor of...
(silver) In 1964 he was bested again by Brumel, who cleared the same top height as Thomas, but was declared the winner based on fewer misses at lower heights. Thomas graduated from Boston University, and later became a successful coach and businessman. He is an inductee of the
USATF Hall of Fame.