Everyone in stitches at picture from 1908 London Olympics of high jumper

HAYSIE

Everyone in stitches at picture from 1908 London Olympics of high jumper as they say 'they could jump over bigger puddles'


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/everyone-in-stitches-at-picture-from-1908-london-olympics-of-high-jumper-as-they-say-they-could-jump-over-bigger-puddles/ar-AA1aC8wV?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=9d64b9886df9472fa529cc3dfab4db22&ei=24

goldon

She was a ....... Flop but her kicker won it for her.

Enut

To add more context to this picture George Bumthwaite was the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics, long before this became a 'thing'.
George, or Georgina as he quite unimaginatively preferred to be called, spent his evenings and weekends dressed in female attire and hence was restricted in the practice he could put in. In the early 1900's being transgender was not as readily accepted as it is now and George kept it a secret from his wife, eight children and his cardre at the Household Cavalry 3rd Battalion.
He also strived to maintain decorum at all stages during his/her/their jump and even doing the can can splits as depicted here caused uproar amongst the crowds, especially when George(ina) knocked the bar off half way through his(her) jump with neither of his(her) legs but something that, at the very least, should have been disclosed to the judges before the event.
George failed to qualify for the final and was last seen leaving the Olympic village in disgust having been refused entry to the women's changing rooms.