Dumas started his jumping career as a student first at
Thomas Jefferson High School in
South Central Los Angeles for 2 years. As a sophomore, he finished tied for 4th place at the 1953
CIF California State Meet for Jefferson. As a junior and senior he jumped for
Centennial High School in
Compton finishing second in 1954 and winning the state championship by four and a half inches in 1955. He was
Track and Field News "High School Athlete of the Year" in 1955. While attending
Compton College, near Los Angeles, Dumas, from
Tulsa, Oklahoma, made his memorable jump on June 29, 1956, in the
US Olympic Trials in
Los Angeles, breaking a barrier previously thought unbreakable. This jump not only ensured him of a place in the American Olympic team, but also made him the top favorite for the gold medal at the
1956 Summer Olympics in
Melbourne. He did not disappoint, and grabbed the title in a new Olympic Record. Next, he enrolled at the
University of Southern California, winning the
NCAA track and field title with the university team in 1958. In 1960, Dumas competed in the
1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, but a knee injury during the competition prevented him from winning a second medal, finishing 6th. After his career, in which he won five consecutive national high jump titles, Dumas became a teacher, working at several schools in the Los Angeles area (including
Jordan High School in Watts). He died of cancer at age 66 in
Inglewood, California. He left behind three children: Keasha, Kyle and Ianna. ==References==