Debbie Brill

Debbie Brill

Brill in 1972
Personal information
Full name	Debbie Arden Brill
Born	(1953-03-10) March 10, 1953 (age 63) Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Sport
Sport	High jump
Achievements and titles
Highest world ranking	1st (1979)
Personal best(s)	High jump (indoor): 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) (1982, Former WR) High jump (outdoor): 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) (1984, NR)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Canada IAAF World Indoor Games 1985 Paris High jump Pan American Games 1971 Cali High jump 1979 San Juan High jump Commonwealth Games 1970 Edinburgh High jump 1978 Edmonton High jump 1982 Brisbane High jump Universiade 1977 Sofia High jump Representing Americas IAAF World Cup 1979 Montreal High jump 1977 Dusseldorf High jump

Debbie Arden Brill, OC (born March 10, 1953) is a Canadian high jump athlete who at the age of 16 became the first North American woman to clear 6 feet. Her unique reverse jumping style was called the "Brill Bend" and was developed independently around the same time as Dick Fosbury was developing the similar Fosbury Flop in the USA. This style of jumping revolutionized the event and is now almost exclusively the technique of elite high jumpers. Because Fosbury won the Gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, he is more often credited with the invention. Brill won the high jump at the Pan American Games in 1971, the IAAF World Cup in 1979, and at the Commonwealth Games in 1970 and 1982. She has held the Canadian high jump record since 1969.

Brill was born in Mission, British Columbia and started competing provincially in British Columbia in 1966, at age 13. The following year, she competed at the Canadian national level. Her first international competition was in 1968, at age 15.

Brill has held the Canadian National High Jump record since 1969, establishing her first Canadian High Jump record when she was 16. She set her final Canadian outdoor record in September 1984 with 1.98 metres (6 ft 6 in). Her indoor record of 1.99 metres (6 ft 6 in) was set in 1982. As of 2013, Brill's Canadian records still stand. She won the Gold medal at the first Pacific Conference Games in 1969. She would again win the Pacific Conference Games title in 1977.

Brill won the 1970 Commonwealth Games title, and the 1971 Pan Am Games. She retired after the 1972 Munich Games after becoming disillusioned with the Olympic experience; and returned to competition in 1975 and placed 4th at the Pan Am Games. She was disappointed at the 1976 Montreal Olympics where she failed to qualify for the final. She placed 3rd at the first World Cup in 1977, and won a silver medal at home in Edmonton, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games. In 1979 Brill won a gold medal in the athletics World Cup held in Montreal, Canada. She was the world's number one high jumper for 1979.

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