Ronald Lee Jourdan (February 28, 1947 – January 1, 2014) was an American college and Olympic track and field athlete. Jourdan was a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion in the high jump from Florida and member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic team. Jourdan, along with Reynaldo Brown of California, were the last great American high jumpers to use the straight-leg straddle, the style which dominated the sport in the 1950s and 1960s. Jourdan's personal best was 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 meters).
Jourdan was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida.[1] He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a member of coach Jimmy Carnes' Florida Gators track and field team from 1966 to 1970.[2] In his junior year, Jourdan won the 1969 NCAA Division 1 Indoor championship at Detroit's Cobo Hall, establishing a new meet record of 7 ft 0+3⁄4 in (2.153 m), breaking the record of 7'0" set in 1966 by Otis Burrell of Nevada: it was the only record broken at those championships.[3] That same year he also won both the indoor and outdoor Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships, setting new meet records of 7'0" both times. Jourdan finished fourth at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) outdoor championships in 1969 and finished the season with the fourth-best jump in the world for that year (2.185). He was on the cover of the April 1969 issue of Track and Field News.[4] He repeated as SEC champion in the high jump in 1970, both indoors and outdoors, jumping 6-10 both times. He later equaled his personal best (2.185), the tenth best jump in the world in 1970.[5] Jourdan was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."[6]
1972 Olympicsedit
After graduating from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in 1973, Jourdan remained at Gainesville and competed for the Florida Track Club (FTC). Jourdan stood six-feet, one-inch (1.86 meters) tall, and was rail-thin at 150 pounds (68 kilograms). At the 1972 Olympic Trials, held in Eugene, Oregon, between June 29 and July 9, Jourdan was one of four members of the FTC to qualify for the Munich Olympics, along with distance runners Frank Shorter, Jack Bacheler and Jeff Galloway. The men's high jump final was held on the last day, and Jourdan began competition at 2.10 (6'-9") and set a personal best of 2.21 (7'-3"), finishing second to Dwight Stones. The top three all jumped 7'-3" on their second attempts, securing their berths to Munich, then failed at 7'-41⁄2" (2.25), with Stones winning by virtue of fewer misses at lower heights.[7] Both Stones (UCLA) and Chris Dunn (Colgate) were younger and taller collegiate jumpers (6'-6" and 6'-5", respectively) and utilized the - then relatively new - Fosbury Flop style, while Jourdan and Reynaldo Brown (who finished fourth) used the classic straight-leg straddle.
While training in Italy immediately prior to the Olympics, Jourdan sustained a leg injury. At the Olympics in September, he did not advance out of the Qualifying Round. He began competition at the low height of 1.90 (6'-3") because of his injury and progressed through 2.00, 2.06, 2.09 and 2.12 all on his first attempts, before missing all three tries at 2.15 (7'-03⁄4"). Jourdan holds the distinction of being the first athlete from the University of Florida to qualify for the Olympics in the sport of track and field (athletics).[8]Track & Field News magazine ("The Bible of the Sport") ranked Jourdan the #2 U.S. high jumper in 1972 (behind Dwight Stones, who won the Bronze medal at Munich with a leap of 7'-3" in the finals).
In 1973, Jourdan gave up his amateur status and continued to compete in the high jump as a professional on tour with the newly created International Track Association (ITA).[9] Despite initial success, the ITA folded within a few years.
He died January 1, 2014, in Baldwyn, Mississippi, shortly after retiring from a 30-year career with Warrior & Gulf Navigation Company, a barge company in Mobile, Alabama.[10]
Photographsedit
Jourdan was featured on the cover of the April (II) 1969 edition of Track & Field News, Past Covers 1969; in a unique photograph taken from underneath the high jump bar as Jourdan, with his right leg still straight, rotates over the bar.
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Ronald Lee Jourdan February 28 1947 January 1 2014 was an American college and Olympic track and field athlete Jourdan was a National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA champion in the high jump from Florida and member of the 1972 U S Olympic team Jourdan along with Reynaldo Brown of California were the last great American high jumpers to use the straight leg straddle the style which dominated the sport in the 1950s and 1960s Jourdan s personal best was 7 feet 3 inches 2 21 meters Ron JourdanPersonal informationFull nameRonald Lee JordanNational teamUnited StatesBorn 1947 02 28 February 28 1947Pensacola FloridaDiedJanuary 1 2014 2014 01 01 aged 66 Baldwyn MississippiHeight6 ft 1 in 1 85 m Weight150 lb 68 kg SportSportTrack and fieldEventHigh jumpCollege teamUniversity of FloridaClubFlorida Track Club Contents 1 Early years 2 1972 Olympics 2 1 Photographs 3 See also 4 ReferencesEarly years editJourdan was born and raised in Pensacola Florida 1 He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville Florida where he was a member of coach Jimmy Carnes Florida Gators track and field team from 1966 to 1970 2 In his junior year Jourdan won the 1969 NCAA Division 1 Indoor championship at Detroit s Cobo Hall establishing a new meet record of 7 ft 0 3 4 in 2 153 m breaking the record of 7 0 set in 1966 by Otis Burrell of Nevada it was the only record broken at those championships 3 That same year he also won both the indoor and outdoor Southeastern Conference SEC championships setting new meet records of 7 0 both times Jourdan finished fourth at the Amateur Athletic Union AAU outdoor championships in 1969 and finished the season with the fourth best jump in the world for that year 2 185 He was on the cover of the April 1969 issue of Track and Field News 4 He repeated as SEC champion in the high jump in 1970 both indoors and outdoors jumping 6 10 both times He later equaled his personal best 2 185 the tenth best jump in the world in 1970 5 Jourdan was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a Gator Great 6 1972 Olympics editAfter graduating from the University of Florida with a bachelor s degree in 1973 Jourdan remained at Gainesville and competed for the Florida Track Club FTC Jourdan stood six feet one inch 1 86 meters tall and was rail thin at 150 pounds 68 kilograms At the 1972 Olympic Trials held in Eugene Oregon between June 29 and July 9 Jourdan was one of four members of the FTC to qualify for the Munich Olympics along with distance runners Frank Shorter Jack Bacheler and Jeff Galloway The men s high jump final was held on the last day and Jourdan began competition at 2 10 6 9 and set a personal best of 2 21 7 3 finishing second to Dwight Stones The top three all jumped 7 3 on their second attempts securing their berths to Munich then failed at 7 41 2 2 25 with Stones winning by virtue of fewer misses at lower heights 7 Both Stones UCLA and Chris Dunn Colgate were younger and taller collegiate jumpers 6 6 and 6 5 respectively and utilized the then relatively new Fosbury Flop style while Jourdan and Reynaldo Brown who finished fourth used the classic straight leg straddle While training in Italy immediately prior to the Olympics Jourdan sustained a leg injury At the Olympics in September he did not advance out of the Qualifying Round He began competition at the low height of 1 90 6 3 because of his injury and progressed through 2 00 2 06 2 09 and 2 12 all on his first attempts before missing all three tries at 2 15 7 03 4 Jourdan holds the distinction of being the first athlete from the University of Florida to qualify for the Olympics in the sport of track and field athletics 8 Track amp Field News magazine The Bible of the Sport ranked Jourdan the 2 U S high jumper in 1972 behind Dwight Stones who won the Bronze medal at Munich with a leap of 7 3 in the finals In 1973 Jourdan gave up his amateur status and continued to compete in the high jump as a professional on tour with the newly created International Track Association ITA 9 Despite initial success the ITA folded within a few years He died January 1 2014 in Baldwyn Mississippi shortly after retiring from a 30 year career with Warrior amp Gulf Navigation Company a barge company in Mobile Alabama 10 Photographs edit Jourdan was featured on the cover of the April II 1969 edition of Track amp Field News Past Covers 1969 in a unique photograph taken from underneath the high jump bar as Jourdan with his right leg still straight rotates over the bar See also edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp Olympics portalFlorida Gators List of University of Florida alumni List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members List of University of Florida OlympiansReferences edit Ron Jourdan at Sports Reference Article 404 Gainesville Sun Gainesville FL Track and Field Crown to Kansas PDF NCAA News Vol 6 no 4 April 1969 Archived from the original PDF on 2007 03 29 Retrieved 2009 02 01 Past Covers 1969 Archived from the original on 2016 03 03 Retrieved 2015 04 15 Track and Field Statistics F Club Hall of Fame Gator Greats Retrieved December 18 2014 Hymans Richard 2008 The History of the United States Olympic Trials Track amp Field PDF USA Track amp Field http www coachdonovan com trackfield media 2008 pdf uf pdf dead link Registered amp Protected by MarkMonitor Ronnie Jourdan Obituary 1947 2014 Baldwyn MS Chickasaw Journal Legacy com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ron Jourdan amp oldid 1193125477, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
