THE BACKYARD JUMPER
Bill Waiser and Brian Gable
In 1928, Saskatoon’s Ethel Catherwood won the women’s high jump at the Amsterdam Olympic games. Her Canadian gold medal performance in an individual track and field event stood for almost a century–until it was equaled by another Canadian woman in the hammer throw at the 2024 Paris summer Olympics.
The Backyard Jumper tells the story of how a young Ethel learned to high jump, becoming one of the best Canadian female athletes of her generation. It wasn’t easy getting over the bar, and Ethel’s persistence underscores the importance of practice to become proficient at any skill or activity. Her story is also one of female empowerment. Ethel’s determination to succeed propelled her to a gold medal victory at the first Olympic games where women were allowed to compete in track and field events.