Ray Ewry got polio at the age of 7. Ewry was told he would never walk again. Soon after receiving that news he was confronted by a doctor who had a theory on how to overcome polio. He was stuck in a wheel chair and though he could never walk again. Ewry’s doctor gave him a set of exercises to do daily. The day he lifted himself from the wheelchair, he started jumping. Ewry didn’t jump because he loved it, but simply because he could. After he successfully defeated polio, he attended college at Purdue University.

1900 Paris, France, Ewry proved that he was truly the world’s greatest jumper. Ewry won 3 gold medals, his first time in the Olympics. Ewry competed in the high jump, long jump and triple jump. 1904 Ewry defended his 3 titles and won 3 more gold medals. After the 1904 games the standing triple jump was discontinued. He then went to the 1906 Intercalated Games and won 2 more gold medals. Ewry went to his last Olympic games in 1908 and won 2 more golds. Bringing his total of gold medals to 10. According to Olympic records, Ewry is the third most successful person to ever enter the Olympic games.