While attending Compton College, near Los Angeles, Dumas, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, made his memorable jump on June 29, 1956, in the US Olympic Trials in Los Angeles, breaking a barrier previously thought unbreakable.
This jump not only ensured him of a place in the American Olympic team, but also made him the top favorite for the gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. In Melbourne, he did not disappoint, and grabbed the title in a new Olympic Record.
Next, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, winning the NCAA track and field title with the university team in 1958. In 1960, Dumas competed in his second Olympics, but a knee injury during the competition prevented him from winning a second medal, finishing 6th.

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