Richard ‘Dick’ Railsback (March 19, 1946 – June 30, 2021[2]) was an American pole vaulter. In 1967 he was ranked fifth in the world. Next year he won the national title, but placed fourth at the Olympic Trials and was not selected for the 1968 Olympic team.[1] He attended the 1976 Summer Olympics as a coach for the American athletics team.[3]
In August 1970 Railsback married Annika Rohlén, an interpreter during his 1967 visit to Sweden. In 1969–71 he mostly stayed in Sweden and competed for Gefle IF. Dick and Annika have a daughter Michelle and son Michael. Both were born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, but spent every summer in Sweden until ca. 2001; they hold dual citizenship and speak Swedish. Both competed for Gefle IF in hurdle running, and Michelle also in the pole vault and flat running.[3]
Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
