Track and field onto a cushioned landing area. The men's high jump was included in the 1896 Olympics and a women's competition followed in 1928. Jumping technique has played a significant part in the history of the event. High jumpers typically cleared the bar feet first in the late 19th century, using either the Scissors, Eastern cut-off or Western roll technique. The straddle technique became prominent in the mid-20th century, but Dick Fosbury overturned tradition by pioneering a backwards and head-first technique in the late 1960s – the Fosbury Flop – which won him the gold at the 1968 Olympics. This technique has
Athletics in Australia conducts a range of important athletics events and championships each year. These include: The national titles have been conducted for over a hundred years, though the event has only been a joint championship since 1978. The most successful athletes at this event include Warwick Selvey (19 wins) and Gael Martin (20 wins). The IAAF approved meets at Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne comprise the most important athletics meetings held in Australia, with Australian athletes required to compete in order to gain international selection. Each Australian state or territory holds its own state athletics championships annually. Inter-varsity athletics competitions were conducted in