Sara Simeoni

Simeoni's rivalry with Ackermann was the flop against the straddle in its purest form. The Italian's 2.01m in 1978 took the world record back for the flop, and she won Olympic gold in Moscow in 1980 between silvers in 1976 and 1984. Her smooth, elegant arch over the bar became a model for a generation of European women, and her three Olympic medals across eight years show a durability unusual in the event.