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Athlete Bio

Ray Ewry

Basic Information

Status: Hall of Fame Gender: Male Date of Birth: 10/14/1873

Athletics Information

Event: Outdoor Track & Field Agent: N/A

Residences

Hometown: Lafayette, IN College: Purdue University

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Athlete Profile

No one in Olympic history won more gold medals than Ray Ewry, a former Purdue University athlete who accumulated his record total of 10 in four Olympiads. He won three golds apiece in 1900 and 1904 and two each in 1906 and 1908. All of them came in events no longer contested -- the standing long jump, standing high jump and standing triple jump. However, that should not detract from the impressiveness of his feat. Nicknamed "The Human Frog" for his incredible leaping ability, Ewry was a 15-time national champion in the standing events from 1898 to 1910. He undoubtedly would have earned more titles if the standing jumps had not been dropped from the AAU program for a six-year period. Confined to a wheelchair by polio when he was a boy, Ewry exercised his legs until he could walk, then increased their strength through his jumping regimen. In 1890, he entered Purdue University, where he played football and captained the track team. A hydraulics engineer by profession, he competed until he was almost 40; at age 39, he made a bid for the 1912 Olympic team but fell short. He was elected to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983.

Records Held

World Record: Standing High Jump - 1.65 m (July 16, 1900 - )
World Record: Standing Long Jump - 3.47 m (September 3, 1904 - )

Championships

1900 Olympics: Standing High Jump (1st)
1900 Olympics: Standing Long Jump (1st)
1900 Olympics: Standing Triple Jump (1st)
1904 Olympics: Standing High Jump (1st)
1904 Olympics: Standing Long Jump (1st)
1904 Olympics: Standing Triple Jump (1st)
1906 Olympics: Standing High Jump (1st)
1906 Olympics: Standing Long Jump (1st)
1908 Olympics: Standing High Jump (1st)
1908 Olympics: Standing Long Jump (1st)

Occupations

Hydraulics engineer

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