www.olympic.org - Site Officiel du Mouvement Olympique

Javier Sotomayor,
Stuttgart 1993.

After his Olympic gold medal at the Games in Barcelona 1992, Javier Sotomayor of Cuba donated his autographed high-jump "spikes" to the Museum.

High-jump shoes have a thicker sole, as well as four spikes at the heel. These features give the best possible momentary grip at the instant of the take-off - a skid at this point would naturally be disastrous - and also give the athlete a firm base for his spring in the air.

Without this specialised high-jump shoe, the now universal "Fosbury Flop" named after its first exponent Dick Fosbury, would be hopelessly inefficient.

• High Jump - Barcelona 1992
• Guided visit to the Olympic Museum