Mike Bull

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]}

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]}