| | Event type

High Jump, Men

Date	19 – 20 October 1968
Status	Olympic
Location	Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Ciudad de México
Participants	39 from 25 countries

Dick Fosbury was an average high jumper using the standard straddle when he began experimenting with a technique in which he turned his back to the bar and cleared the bar by arching his back as he went over head-first. It would be termed the Fosbury Flop. There is some controversy as to who actually developed this first, as Canadian jumper Debbie Brill also experimented with style in late 1966, but the technique is always named for Fosbury. Fosbury was not the favorite in 1968. Only a 2.10 jumper in 1967, he had won the 1968 NCAA Championships, but finished third at the US Trials, behind Ed Caruthers and Reynaldo Brown. But at 2.20 (7-2½), only Fosbury, Caruthers and Soviet jumper Valentin Gavrilov were clear, all on first attempts. At 2.22 (7-3¼), Fosbury made it on his first jump, while Caruthers had a miss. Fosbury also cleared 2.24 (7-4¼) (3rd attempt) to cement the gold medal, as Caruthers could not make the height. Gavrilov would win the 1969 European Championships.

Pos	Nr	Athlete	NOC	Qualifying Round	Final Round
1	272	Dick Fosbury	USA	2.14 (1)	2.24 (1)	Gold	OR
2	262	Ed Caruthers	USA	2.14 (2)	2.22 (2)	Silver	OR
3	802	Valentin Gavrilov	URS	2.12 (10)	2.20 (3)	Bronze	OR
4	829	Valery Skvortsov	URS	2.14 (3)	2.16 (4)
5	257	Reynaldo Brown	USA	2.12 (9)	2.14 (5)
6	501	Giacomo Crosa	ITA	2.14 (5)	2.14 (6)
7	48	Gunther Spielvogel	FRG	2.12 (13)	2.14 (7)
8	113	Lawrie Peckham	AUS	2.14 (6)	2.12 (8)
=9	367	Robert Sainte-Rose	FRA	2.12 (12)	2.09 (=9)
=9	47	Ingomar Sieghart	FRG	2.12 (8)	2.09 (=9)
11	245	Luis María Garriga	ESP	2.12 (11)	2.09 (11)
12	215	Ahmed Sénoussi	CHA	2.14 (4)	2.09 (12)
13	853	Miodrag Todosijević	YUG	2.12 (7)	2.06 (13)
14 r1/2	57	Thomas Zacharias	FRG	2.09 (14)	–
15 r1/2	556	Kuniyoshi Sugioka	JPN	2.09 (15)	–
16 r1/2	798	Viktor Bolshov	URS	2.09 (16)	–
17 r1/2	479	Bhim Singh	IND	2.09 (17)	–
=18 r1/2	359	Henry Elliott	FRA	2.09 (=18)	–
=18 r1/2	216	Jaroslav Alexa	TCH	2.09 (=18)	–
20 r1/2	436	Ioannis Kousoulas	GRE	2.09 (20)	–
21 r1/2	212	Mahamat Idriss	CHA	2.06 (21)	–
=22 r1/2	114	Tony Sneazwell	AUS	2.06 (=22)	–
=22 r1/2	447	Teodoro Palacios	GUA	2.06 (=22)	–
=22 r1/2	736	Kenneth Lundmark	SWE	2.06 (=22)	–
=22 r1/2	218	Rudolf Hübner	TCH	2.06 (=22)	–
26 r1/2	100	Peter Boyce	AUS	2.06 (26)	–
27 r1/2	489	Jón Ólafsson	ISL	2.06 (27)	–
28 r1/2	751	Michel Portmann	SUI	2.06 (28)	–
29 r1/2	657	Fernando Abugattás	PER	2.03 (29)	–
30 r1/2	584	Fernand Tovondray	MAD	2.03 (30)	–
31 r1/2	758	Thomas Wieser	SUI	2.03 (31)	–
32 r1/2	705	Csaba Dosa	ROU	2.03 (32)	–
=33 r1/2	178	Wilf Wedmann	CAN	2.00 (=33)	–
=33 r1/2	852	Polde Milek	YUG	2.00 (=33)	–
35 r1/2	658	Roberto Abugattás	PER	2.00 (35)	–
36 r1/2	123	Anthony Balfour	BAH	1.95 (36)	–
37 r1/2	763	Hong Son-Long	TPE	1.95 (37)	–
38 r1/2	785	Nurullah Candan	TUR	1.95 (38)	–
39 r1/2	718	Marconi Turay	SLE	1.90 (39)	–
DNS	733	Bo Jonsson	SWE	– (DNS)	–
DNS	709	Ababacar Ly	SEN	– (DNS)	–
DNS	134	Freddy Herbrand	BEL	– (DNS)	–
DNS	640	Samuel Igun	NGR	– (DNS)	–
DNS	726	Jan Dahlgren	SWE	– (DNS)	–

Qualifying Round (19 October 1968 — 10:00)

Top 12 and ties and all those clearing 2.14 metres advanced to the final.

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	Total Attempts
1	Dick Fosbury	USA	2.14	0	0	3	Q
2	Ed Caruthers	USA	2.14	0	0	4	Q
3	Valery Skvortsov	URS	2.14	0	1	6	Q
4	Ahmed Sénoussi	CHA	2.14	1	1	5	Q
5	Giacomo Crosa	ITA	2.14	1	1	6	Q
6	Lawrie Peckham	AUS	2.14	1	1	7	Q
7	Miodrag Todosijević	YUG	2.12	0	0	4	q
8	Ingomar Sieghart	FRG	2.12	0	0	5	q
9	Reynaldo Brown	USA	2.12	0	1	3	q
10	Valentin Gavrilov	URS	2.12	0	1	6	q
11	Luis María Garriga	ESP	2.12	0	2	7	q
12	Robert Sainte-Rose	FRA	2.12	1	1	5	q
13	Gunther Spielvogel	FRG	2.12	1	1	6	q
14	Thomas Zacharias	FRG	2.09	0	0	2
15	Kuniyoshi Sugioka	JPN	2.09	0	0	4
16	Viktor Bolshov	URS	2.09	1	2	5
17	Bhim Singh	IND	2.09	1	2	7
=18	Henry Elliott	FRA	2.09	2	2	5
=18	Jaroslav Alexa	TCH	2.09	2	2	5
20	Ioannis Kousoulas	GRE	2.09	2	3	7
21	Mahamat Idriss	CHA	2.06	0	0	1
=22	Tony Sneazwell	AUS	2.06	0	0	3
=22	Teodoro Palacios	GUA	2.06	0	0	3
=22	Kenneth Lundmark	SWE	2.06	0	0	3
=22	Rudolf Hübner	TCH	2.06	0	0	3
26	Peter Boyce	AUS	2.06	1	2	5
27	Jón Ólafsson	ISL	2.06	1	4	8
28	Michel Portmann	SUI	2.06	2	2	4
29	Fernando Abugattás	PER	2.03	0	1	3
30	Fernand Tovondray	MAD	2.03	0	2	5
31	Thomas Wieser	SUI	2.03	1	1	4
32	Csaba Dosa	ROU	2.03	2	4	9
=33	Wilf Wedmann	CAN	2.00	0	0	1
=33	Polde Milek	YUG	2.00	0	0	1
35	Roberto Abugattás	PER	2.00	1	1	2
36	Anthony Balfour	BAH	1.95	0	0	3
37	Hong Son-Long	TPE	1.95	0	2	6
38	Nurullah Candan	TUR	1.95	0	4	8
39	Marconi Turay	SLE	1.90	2	2	5
DNS	Bo Jonsson	SWE	–	–	–	–
DNS	Jan Dahlgren	SWE	–	–	–	–
DNS	Ababacar Ly	SEN	–	–	–	–
DNS	Freddy Herbrand	BEL	–	–	–	–
DNS	Samuel Igun	NGR	–	–	–	–

Qualifying Round, Group A (19 October 1968)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	Total Attempts	1.80 m	1.85 m	1.90 m	1.95 m	2.00 m	2.03 m	2.06 m	2.09 m	2.12 m	2.14 m
1	Dick Fosbury	USA	2.14	0	0	3	-	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	-	o
2	Ed Caruthers	USA	2.14	0	0	4	-	-	-	-	-	o	o	-	o	o
3	Valery Skvortsov	URS	2.14	0	1	6	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	o	xo	o
4	Lawrie Peckham	AUS	2.14	1	1	7	-	-	-	o	o	-	o	o	o	xo
5	Miodrag Todosijević	YUG	2.12	0	0	4	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	o	o	xxx
6	Reynaldo Brown	USA	2.12	0	1	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	xo	-	o	xxx
7	Valentin Gavrilov	URS	2.12	0	1	6	-	-	-	-	o	xo	o	o	o	xxx
8	Robert Sainte-Rose	FRA	2.12	1	1	5	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	o	xo	xxx
9	Gunther Spielvogel	FRG	2.12	1	1	6	-	-	-	-	o	o	o	o	xo	xxx
10	Thomas Zacharias	FRG	2.09	0	0	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	o	o	xxx	–
11	Viktor Bolshov	URS	2.09	1	2	5	-	-	-	-	o	-	xo	xo	xxx	–
=12	Henry Elliott	FRA	2.09	2	2	5	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	xxo	xxx	–
=12	Jaroslav Alexa	TCH	2.09	2	2	5	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	xxo	xxx	–
=14	Tony Sneazwell	AUS	2.06	0	0	3	-	-	-	o	o	-	o	xxx	–	–
=14	Kenneth Lundmark	SWE	2.06	0	0	3	-	-	-	-	o	o	o	xxx	–	–
=14	Rudolf Hübner	TCH	2.06	0	0	3	-	-	-	-	o	o	o	xxx	–	–
17	Peter Boyce	AUS	2.06	1	2	5	-	-	-	o	xo	-	xo	xxx	–	–
18	Polde Milek	YUG	2.00	0	0	1	-	-	-	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–
DNS	Bo Jonsson	SWE	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	Jan Dahlgren	SWE	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Qualifying Round, Group B (19 October 1968)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	Total Attempts	1.80 m	1.85 m	1.90 m	1.95 m	2.00 m	2.03 m	2.06 m	2.09 m	2.12 m	2.14 m
1	Ahmed Sénoussi	CHA	2.14	1	1	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	o	o	o	xo
2	Giacomo Crosa	ITA	2.14	1	1	6	-	-	-	-	o	-	o	o	o	xo
3	Ingomar Sieghart	FRG	2.12	0	0	5	-	-	-	-	o	o	o	o	o	xxx
4	Luis María Garriga	ESP	2.12	0	2	7	-	-	-	xo	-	o	xo	o	o	xxx
5	Kuniyoshi Sugioka	JPN	2.09	0	0	4	-	-	-	o	o	-	o	o	xxx	–
6	Bhim Singh	IND	2.09	1	2	7	-	-	-	o	o	xo	o	xo	xxx	–
7	Ioannis Kousoulas	GRE	2.09	2	3	7	-	-	-	-	o	xo	o	xxo	xxx	–
8	Mahamat Idriss	CHA	2.06	0	0	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	o	-	xxx	–
9	Teodoro Palacios	GUA	2.06	0	0	3	-	-	-	o	-	o	o	xxx	–	–
10	Jón Ólafsson	ISL	2.06	1	4	8	-	-	-	o	xo	xxo	xo	xxx	–	–
11	Michel Portmann	SUI	2.06	2	2	4	-	-	-	-	o	-	xxo	xxx	–	–
12	Fernando Abugattás	PER	2.03	0	1	3	-	-	-	-	xo	o	xxx	–	–	–
13	Fernand Tovondray	MAD	2.03	0	2	5	-	-	-	o	xxo	o	xxx	–	–	–
14	Thomas Wieser	SUI	2.03	1	1	4	-	-	-	o	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–
15	Csaba Dosa	ROU	2.03	2	4	9	-	o	o	o	xxo	xxo	xxx	–	–	–
16	Wilf Wedmann	CAN	2.00	0	0	1	-	-	-	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–
17	Roberto Abugattás	PER	2.00	1	1	2	-	-	-	-	xo	-	xxx	–	–	–
18	Anthony Balfour	BAH	1.95	0	0	3	-	o	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
19	Hong Son-Long	TPE	1.95	0	2	6	o	o	xxo	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
20	Nurullah Candan	TUR	1.95	0	4	8	xxo	o	xxo	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
21	Marconi Turay	SLE	1.90	2	2	5	o	o	xxo	xxx	-	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	Ababacar Ly	SEN	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	Freddy Herbrand	BEL	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
DNS	Samuel Igun	NGR	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Final Round (20 October 1968 — 14:30)

Pos	Athlete	NOC	Height	Misses	Total Misses	Total Attempts	2.00 m	2.03 m	2.06 m	2.09 m	2.12 m	2.14 m	2.16 m	2.18 m	2.20 m	2.22 m	2.24 m	2.29 m
1	Dick Fosbury	USA	2.24	2	2	9	-	o	-	o	-	o	-	o	o	o	xxo	xxx	OR
2	Ed Caruthers	USA	2.22	1	5	10	-	-	-	o	-	xxo	-	xxo	o	xo	xxx	–	OR
3	Valentin Gavrilov	URS	2.20	0	0	8	o	o	o	o	o	o	o	-	o	xxx	–	–	OR
4	Valery Skvortsov	URS	2.16	2	5	11	-	o	xo	o	xxo	o	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–
5	Reynaldo Brown	USA	2.14	0	0	3	-	o	-	o	-	o	-	xxx	–	–	–	–
6	Giacomo Crosa	ITA	2.14	0	1	6	o	-	xo	o	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
7	Gunther Spielvogel	FRG	2.14	1	3	7	-	-	o	o	xxo	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–
8	Lawrie Peckham	AUS	2.12	1	1	5	-	o	o	o	xo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–
=9	Robert Sainte-Rose	FRA	2.09	0	0	3	o	-	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
=9	Ingomar Sieghart	FRG	2.09	0	0	3	-	o	o	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
11	Luis María Garriga	ESP	2.09	0	1	4	o	-	xo	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
12	Ahmed Sénoussi	CHA	2.09	2	3	5	-	-	xo	xxo	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
13	Miodrag Todosijević	YUG	2.06	0	0	2	o	-	o	xxx	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–