Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's high jump The men's high jump field event at the 1972 Olympic Games took place on September 9 & 10. The top jumper of the previous year, world record holder and winner of the Pan American Games, was Pat Matzdorf from the United States. But in a surprise, he failed to make the US team, leaving the field wide open. Jüri Tarmak was the last man to win Olympic gold medal using the straddle technique. The more popular and more widely used Fosbury Flop technique was the most common technique used. Top
IAAF World Championships in Athletics hosted separate from the Olympic Games (traditionally the main championship for the sport). A second limited event was held in 1980, and a major expansion in 1983 is considered the official start of the event. It was then held every four years until 1991, when it switched to a two year cycle. The idea of having an Athletics World Championships was around well before the competition's first event in 1983. In 1913, the IAAF decided that the Olympic Games would serve as the World Championships for athletics. This was considered suitable for over 50 years until in the late 1960s