Mike Bull

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Mike Bull
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
Born11 September 1946
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
Sport Athletics
Eventpole vault
ClubAlbert Foundry AC,
Queen's University Belfast AC

Michael Bull (born 11 September 1946) is a retired male pole vaulter and decathlete from Northern Ireland who competed at two Olympic Games. [1]

Contents

Biography

Bull became the British pole vault champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1966 AAA Championships. [2] Shortly afterwards Bull represented the Northern Irish team at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Kingston, Jamaica, where he won silver in the men's pole vault. [3]

Bull retained his pole vault title at the 1967 AAA Championships, 1968 AAA Championships and 1969 AAA Championships (although the 1968 success came as the best placed British athlete). [4] He also appeared for Great Britain at his first Olympic Games at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. [5]

Bull represented England at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland and won the gold medal. [6]

Bull won two more AAA titles at the 1971 AAA Championships and 1972 AAA Championships before finally losing his crown to Brian Hooper in 1973. [7] At the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich, he represented Great Britain at his second Olympics. [5]

He appeared in 69 internationals for Great Britain and Northern Ireland [ citation needed ] and captained the team on numerous[ quantify ] occasions.[ citation needed ] In 1991, he won the World Masters (over 40) pole vault in Finland. He set his personal best in the pole vault (5.25 metres) on 22 September 1973 at a meet in London.[ citation needed ]

Upon retirement from professional athletics, Bull lectured on sports studies[ citation needed ] and provided sports commentary for UTV (Ulster Television).[ citation needed ] He opened his own gym in Dufferin Avenue, Bangor, County Down (Northern Ireland), Mike Bull's Health Gym[ citation needed ] (now Paul's Gym), and was a fitness adviser for the Irish Rugby Football Union.[ citation needed ]

Honours

In 2012, Dr Mike Bull was awarded the OBE by the Queen for services to sport and charity. [8]

In 2014, Mike Bull was awarded the accolade of "Britain's Greatest Ever Pole-vaulter" in World renowned athletics magazine Athletics Weekly by leading statistician Mel Watman.[ citation needed ]

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEvent
1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Kingston, Jamaica 2ndPole vault
1969 European Championships Athens, Greece 7thPole vault
1970 European Indoor Championships Vienna, Austria 7thPole vault
British Commonwealth Games Edinburgh, Scotland 1stPole vault
1972 European Indoor Championships Grenoble, France 6thPole vault
1974 British Commonwealth Games Christchurch, New Zealand2ndPole vault
1stDecathlon
1978 Commonwealth Games Edmonton, Canada NMPole vault

References

  1. ↑ "Mike BULL - Decathlon gold, Pole Vault silver at 1974 Commonwealths Games - Great Britain". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Hurdler Dave flies in for Britain" . The People. 10 July 1966. Retrieved 9 May 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ↑ "Fitness guru Bull set for Spain move". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  6. ↑ "Edinburgh 1970 Team". Team England. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  7. ↑ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  8. ↑ Staff, The Guardian (15 June 2012). "Queen's birthday honours list 2012: OBE". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 26 June 2019.


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