Willie Banks clears 5-7 for world age-group record at age 65

[gh]

At 5-9¼, but with pretty good hops and small hands, I managed to dunk a basketball once on a very bouncy (horsehair) floor.

Dunking a volleyball wasn't much of a problem on many floors.

What I was most proud of was still being able to reach the rim at age 40 from a stand on my concrete driveway.

Now I have trouble hitting the driveway

[scottmitchell74]

Ditto. I could dunk a soccer ball 'cuz I could grip it in one hand. Not so with a basketball, and with 2 hands, I lost most of my verticality.

I find this recent thread interesting.

It's an assumption but I figured competitive HJers would handle dunking with ease, considering the bar height.
Is it flexibility that sets you guy apart? The ability to warp around that bar?

[18.99s]

Dwight Stones is 67. Doubtless he's heard about Mr. Banks. Anyone have the ability to ask him if he can still jump and what he thinks he could clear?

A better question would be what is the last time Stones jumped over anything? Banks has been jumping in Masters meets for more than the past 10 years, but has Stones even done a training jump in the past 20?

By the way, Stones still has the M40 world indoor record, 2.10m done in 1994.

[Steele]

Dwight Stones is 67. Doubtless he's heard about Mr. Banks. Anyone have the ability to ask him if he can still jump and what he thinks he could clear?

[dukehjsteve]

Same here, I couldn't dunk because my hands are small. I could jump high enough but I couldn't hold the ball with one hand.

Ditto. I could dunk a soccer ball 'cuz I could grip it in one hand. Not so with a basketball, and with 2 hands, I lost most of my verticality.

[noone]

At 5-9, I could not dunk a basketball but could grab the rim or lay it over the rim. Now it takes extreme concentration and effort to get both feet off the ground simultaneously.

Same here, I couldn't dunk because my hands are small. I could jump high enough but I couldn't hold the ball with one hand.

[lonewolf]

At 5-9, I could not dunk a basketball but could grab the rim or lay it over the rim. Now it takes extreme concentration and effort to get both feet off the ground simultaneously.

[G.Ahearn]

Very impressive.
Back in the 60's, I cleared 5' 6" which I thought was decent for a 5'10" middle distance runner who didn't high jump. Fast forward to age 60 (same weight as in HS) in Eugene--I was competing in a low key all-comers meet put on by South Eugene HS track team. After running the 400m, I sauntered over to the high jump pit and thought, why not? I was shocked. I couldn't even clear 3 feet, 6 inches. The really freaky part: as I approached the bar I knew I could easily sail over it. My mind knew it, my muscles knew it. I would have wagered a hundred bucks I would have cleared it and the next height too. But instead of sailing, I just kind of plowed into the bar. No spring whatsoever. Rather disheartening. So hearty congratulations to Willie!

[dukehjsteve]

Back in The Day, I could stand under a goal post, in heavy grass, and easily hop up and hang on the 10 foot high crossbar. Now, with a running start on a gym floor I cannot even come close to touching the bottom of the basketball net.

[Atticus]

My wife likes to watch me HJ in Masters meets. She showed me a video she made just a few years ago.
When I jump I feel like I did in my youth, but all I could see in the video was a stiff old man making a fool of himself barely clearing 5', a height his middle school girls were making.
The good news is that my technique was impeccable!!

[Conor Dary]

in watching the video, I'm most impressed by Willie's ongoing flexibility

Yeah ...very impressive...

[Halfmiler2]

"On the European circuit, he created the rhythmic clapping heard in stadiums worldwide." Wow. Never knew before who started this wonderful tradition...history of our sport is so rich. Love this bit of information.

Not much time to clap with a 3-step approach!😄

[lonewolf]

When I was about 21, I told my brother that when I was 50, I would be able to still high jump 5'6". Since this was 11 1/2 inches below my PR, it seemed it would be ridiculously easy.

Anyhow, 29 years later, at age 50, I set a HJ bar at 5'6" and looked at it. It would have been impossible.

Been there, done that. My doc diagnosed my recurring niggles and frailties as being the result of spending too much time on the planet.

[gh]

in watching the video, I'm most impressed by Willie's ongoing flexibility

[dukehjsteve]

OMG this has turned into an Old High Jump Guys nostalgia party ! At least I had sawdust (1958-1963) rather than sand, but never any fancy- dancy foam pits, and just foam rubber bales in 64-65. And I staggered upwards from 5'11 in HS to 6' 5 1/2 " in college. The memories, the memories....