Michael Sweeney was considered the world’s top high jumper in 1900, which was unusual at the 1900 Paris Exposition professional events. In 1895, while still an amateur, Sweeney broke the world record three times within a month, finally recording 1.97 metres at the New York AC – London AC dual meet in September. That mark would last as the world record until broken in 1912 by American George Horine. Sweeney won the high jump quite easily, and also won the professional long jump at the Paris Exposition. The high jump runner-up was American Otto Schoenfeld, who was better known as a fencer, and competed in the masters fencing events at the 1900 Olympics, although he also won the professional shot put event. Schoenfeld was somewhat of a professional all-around athlete, working as a physical trainer, and he later became a professional wrestler.
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