Emma Nelson Says Fosbury's Impact Touched 'More People Than Anybody Could Ever Really Imagine'

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE – Emma Nelson of Oregon State was just two weeks into college life on the campus in Corvallis when she got the chance to briefly meet one of the icons of her event – Dick Fosbury – at the unveiling of a statue built in his honor to commemorate the 50th annivesary of his Olympic gold medal in Mexico City. 

Less than five years later, two weeks from completing her degree, Nelson competed in the high jump at the Oregon Preview with Fosbury on her mind. 

The innovator of the Fosbury Flop died early last week at the age of 76 from a recurrence of lymphoma. 

"I wish that I could have flopped a little bit better for him today," said Nelson, who finished third with a clearance at 5-foot-7 (1.70m).

"Dick Fosbury did so much for our sport, but especially high jump. After him followed (Oregon State's) Joni Huntley, the first American woman to jump six feet. (Fosbury) had a positive impact on more people than anybody could ever really imagine."

Nelson, from Chugiak, Alaska, and nearly every other high jumper in the world, uses the back-to-the-bar method that Fosbury fashioned out of necessity in the 1960s. 

"I wouldn't be here, or have gone to college in Oregon if it wasn't for high jump, and using his technique," Nelson said. 

Nelson and the other traveling members of the Oregon State team wore light green ribbons pinned to their jerseys in honor of Fosbury, the color choice associated with Lymphoma Awareness, at Saturday's Oregon Preview at Hayward Field.

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"We were trying to jump in his honor and keep him in our minds," Nelson said. 

In between meeting Fosbury in the fall of 2018 and learning of his death last week, Nelson was a link in the chain of high jumpers that have come through the program and stretch back through Fosbury's years and beyond. 

A new link in that chain, freshman Dede Norman, went one bar higher than Nelson, taking second at 5-8.75 (1.75m), in her collegiate debut. Allie Routledge of Colorado was victorious with a 5-10 (1.78m) clearance.

Jade Whitfield won the women's discus with a school record throw of 182-9 (55.71m) for Oregon State. 

"(Fosbury) is sense of pride for us, I would say, being an innovator in a field event. He's very important," Whitfield said. 

Adael Scatena gave Oregon State another of its wins in the 400 meters, running 55.32 seconds. 

Multnomah University's Donte Sol produced one of the meet's highlights when he won the men's 200 meters in 20.86 seconds. Sol recently placed second in the 60 dash and third in the 200 at the NAIA Indoor Championships in South Dakota. 

Bobby Say of Eastern Washington won the long jump at 24-2.25 (7.37m) and triple jump at 48-2.75 (14.70m). 

High schooler Alex Garcia-Silver, from Marshfield OR, opened up in the 3,000 meters with 8:32.10 and finished seventh against older runners. 

On Friday night, a couple of Oregon runners probably the checked the box on NCAA West preliminary qualifying in the 10,000 meters. 

Harper McClain tried the 25-lap race for the first time and won it in 33:44.62. Katie Camarena, a post-collegiate runner formerly at Portland State, served as pacer and stayed in the race to take second in 33:45.45. Maddy Elmore (33:51.49) and Anika Thompson (33:51.70) also broke the 34-minute target they were shooting for. 

Boise State's Mohammed Jouhari won the men's race in 28:51.72. Josh Edwards, an Oregon freshman running unattached, was second in 28:52.99, and Abdinasir Hussein of Oregon was third in 28:57.08.