About Michael Sweeney
Lived 1872 – 1947 (aged 74). Michael Sweeney was a British and American athletics competitor and high jumper.
Michael Sweeney (born 27 October 1872) was an Irish-American track and field athlete. He was the high jumping world champion in 1892 and 1895. He was also the professional athletics champion at the 1900 Paris Olympics in the 100-meter dash, the high jump, and the long jump.
He was the holder of the world high jump record at 1.97 m, and known as an innovator in the progress of high jump technique through his development of the eastern cut-off style. After his high jumping career, Sweeney became a track and field coach at Yale, as well as at The Hill School.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Michael Sweeney's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Michael Sweeney?
Irish-American track and field athlete
When was Michael Sweeney born?
Michael Sweeney was born on 17 October 1872 in County Kerry.
When did Michael Sweeney die?
Michael Sweeney died on 14 August 1947.
What was Michael Sweeney's occupation?
Michael Sweeney was an athletics competitor and high jumper.
What nationality was Michael Sweeney?
Michael Sweeney was British and American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Michael Sweeney (athlete)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Michael Sweeney. https://biography.guide/michael-sweeney/
MLA: "Michael Sweeney." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/michael-sweeney/.
Chicago: "Michael Sweeney." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/michael-sweeney/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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