John Thomas (athlete)
John Curtis Thomas (March 3, 1941 – January 15, 2013)[1] was an American track and field athlete who set several world records in the high jump using the straddle technique.In 1960, he settled for the bronze medal behind the USSR's Robert Shavlakadze (gold), and Valeriy Brumel (silver).[3] Thomas planted his left foot for take-off and high kicked with his right leg that would lead over the bar.His father Curtis was a bus driver and his mother Ida was a kitchen employee at Harvard University.He later served as an assistant coach at Boston University and athletic director at Roxbury Community College.
BostonHigh jumpUnited StatesOlympic Games1960 Rome1964 Tokyotrack and fieldstraddle techniqueEagle ScoutBoston UniversityRobert ShavlakadzeValeriy Brumel'Black Thursday'John RamboCambridge, MassachusettsHarvard UniversityRoxbury Community CollegeBrockton, MassachusettsYuri StepanovMen's High Jump World Record HolderUSA Indoor Track and Field ChampionshipsStanding high jumpRay EwryJohn BillerPlatt AdamsLeo GoehringBen AdamsHarold OsbornHerbert GidneyHarry PorterHarry GrumpeltJohn JohnstoneWesley OlerEgon EricksonWalter WhalenRichmond LandonLeroy BrownCharles W. MajorAnton BurgGeorge SpitzWalter MartyCornelius JohnsonMel WalkerDave AlbrittonKen WiesnerErnie SheltonPhil ReavisGene JohnsonValentin GavrilovOtis BurrellReynaldo BrownDwight StonesTom WoodsRobert ForgetBenn FieldsFranklin JacobsTyke PeacockJim HowardIgor PaklinTom McCantsTroy KempHollis ConwayJavier SotomayorTony BartonCharles AustinMatt HemingwayNathan LeeperJamie NietoTora HarrisAdam ShunkAndra MansonJesse WilliamsDusty JonasErik KynardJeron RobinsonJuVaughn HarrisonShelby McEwenAmateur Athletic UnionThe Athletics CongressUSA Track & FieldUS National ChampionshipEdwards FickenMalcolm FordMike SweeneyIrving BaxterSam JonesHerbert KerriganNeil PattersonCon LeahyAlma RichardsGeorge HorineJohn MurphyRobert JudayRobert KingCharles McGinnisRobert van OsdelLes SteersFred SheffieldVirgil SevernsWalt DavisCharles DumasEd CaruthersMilt OtteyBrian StantonDoug NordquistJerome CarterBrian BrownJim DillingBryan McBrideCOVID-19 pandemicJohn AllenJim BeattyAlex BreckenridgeFrank BuddDyrol BurlesonLee CalhounLes CarneyPete ClosePhil ColemanErnie CunliffeCliff CushmanGlenn DavisOtis DavisBill DellingerJim GrelleRudy Haluza