Phil Mulkey
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  United States |
||
| Pan American Games | ||
 |
1959 Chicago | Decathlon |
Philip Roy "Phil" Mulkey (born January 7, 1933 in Monett, Missouri) is an American track and field athlete, primarily known for the multi-event decathlon. Mulkey was the 2nd place American, behind a pre-Olympic battle between UCLA teammates Rafer Johnson and C. K. Yang (TPE) at the 1960 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships which served as Olympic Trials.[1] Mulkey qualified for the 1960 Summer Olympics, but was unable to finish the competition, dropping out after throwing the Discus with two sub-par performances to begin Day 2.[2] Mulkey had been a competitor at the 1952 Olympic Trials finishing 17th as a high schooler from Purdy, Missouri and the 1956 Olympic Trials finishing 7th representing the University of Wyoming.[3]
The year earlier, Mulkey took the silver medal at the 1959 Pan American Games, finishing behind American teammate Dave Edstrom. In 1961, Mulkey surpassed Vasili Kuznetsov's World Record by scoring 8,727 points at the Southeastern AAU (the equivalent of USATF in the day) meet in his home town of Memphis, Tennessee, but the record was never ratified by the IAAF because the field was not approved.[2][4]
Collegiately, Mulkey competed for Memphis State College and then the University of Wyoming. He never quit the sport, moving from the Open division into the early days of Masters athletics. He competed at many Masters Athletics World Championships and set several world records as he progressed through the age groups.[5] His M60 American Record was decertified as the American record after World Masters Athletics changed the implement specifications, but it remains the best mark. He coached his then girlfriend Philipa Raschker (Phil and Phil), one of the most successful Masters athletes ever.[6] Both Phils each were named the 1993 and 1994 USATF Combined Athletes of the year.[7]
Now residing in Birmingham, Alabama, Mulkey has spent many years coaching at The Altamont School, with numerous state titles to his team's credits. Now the hurdle coach at Vestavia Hills High School.
References
- ↑ http://www.usatf.org/statistics/champions/OlympicTrials/HistoryOfTheOlympicTrials.pdf
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mu/phil-mulkey-1.html
- ↑ http://decathlonusa.typepad.com/deca/files/history_of_the_us_olympic_trials_repaired.pdf
- ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19610629&id=kk8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H-kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4740,6801199 The Miami News, June 29, 1961
- ↑ http://mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/All_Time/decathlonmen.htm
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/06/sports/06master.html?pagewanted=all
- ↑ http://www.usatf.org/statistics/Annual-Awards/TF/CombinedEventerAward.aspx
