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Fosbury flop

British  
/ -brɪ, ˈfɒzbərɪ /

noun

  1. athletics a modern high-jumping technique whereby the jumper clears the bar headfirst and backwards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Fosbury flop

C20: named after Dick Fosbury (born 1947), US winner of men's high jump at Mexico Olympics in 1968, who perfected the technique

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Instead he barrel-rolled over it, like a high-jumper doing a Fosbury flop.

From Washington Times Mar. 29, 2020

The reclining Rees-Mogg was superimposed dancing with the 1980s ska band Madness, high-jumping the Fosbury flop and dropped on to the sofas of The Simpsons and Friends – renamed “No Friends”.

From The Guardian Sep. 6, 2019

After Dick Fosbury leaped to the 1968 gold medal, his fellow high jumpers abandoned the straddle style for the Fosbury flop.

From Slate Jun. 13, 2013

The maneuver is known as the Fosbury flop, named after Dick Fosbury who used it to win gold in Mexico City in 1968.

From Reuters Jul. 16, 2012

Four years later, most of the competitors used the Fosbury flop.

From Washington Post Oct. 17, 2011

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