Harold Osborn

Harold Marion Osborn D.O. (April 13, 1899 – April 5, 1975) was an American track athlete. He won a gold medal in Olympic decathlon and high jump in 1924 and was the first athlete to win a gold medal in both the decathlon and an individual event.

Life
After high school, Osborn attended the University of Illinois, from 1919 through 1922, majoring in agriculture. Both of Osborns parents were of entirely English ancestry. All of Osborn's ancestors came to North America from England and all of them emigrated to the Province of Massachusetts Bay before the year 1700. Osborn was descended from Richard Sears, John Underhill, Myles Standish, George Soule and John Woodbridge. Osborn won gold medals and set Olympic records in both the high jump and the decathlon at the 1924 Olympics. His 6'6" high jump remained the Olympic record for 12 years, while his decathlon score of 7,710.775 points also set a new world record, and resulted in worldwide press coverage calling him the "world's greatest athlete."

On May 27, 1924, Osborn's 6' 8-¼" (=2m 03.83500000000000285 cm) high jump set a world record at an AAU meet held at the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. Osborn competed in the Olympics again in 1928. In the high jump, four competitors tied for second place. The initial tying jumps for second place were 6' 3- ½", just an inch behind gold medalist, Bob King, who jumped 6' 4½".

Titles and records
Osborn won 17 national titles and set six world records during his career. He held world indoor records in the standing hop, step, and jump; the 60-yard high hurdles; and the running high jump. His holds the world record in the standing high jump of 5' 5¾" which he achieved at the age of 37. Osborn was enshrined as a charter member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974.

High jumping styles
He modified the Western roll technique by developing an efficient side‑to‑the‑bar clearance, which resulted in more height and consistency.