Mike Bull

Mike Bull
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
Born (1946-09-11) 11 September 1946
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event
pole vault
ClubAlbert Foundry AC,
Queen's University Belfast AC

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

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 and captained the team on numerous occasions. 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.

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

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.

Achievements

YearCompetitionVenuePositionEvent
1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games Kingston, Jamaica 2nd Pole vault
1969 European Championships Athens, Greece 7th Pole vault
1970 European Indoor Championships Vienna, Austria 7th Pole vault
British Commonwealth Games Edinburgh, Scotland 1st Pole vault
1972 European Indoor Championships Grenoble, France 6th Pole vault
1974 British Commonwealth Games Christchurch, New Zealand 2nd Pole vault
1st Decathlon
1978 Commonwealth Games Edmonton, Canada NM Pole 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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