Billy Cole

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Billy Cole

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| nationality = British (English)

| sport = Athletics

| event = Shot put

| club = Thurrock AC
Newham & Essex Beagles

| birth_date = 10 February 1965

| birth_place = Essex, England

| death_date =

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| height =

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William Cole (born 10 February 1965) is a male British former track and field athlete who specialised in the shot put. His personal best for the event was {{T&Fcalc|19.01}}.[http://www.all-athletics.com/en-us/node/284331 Billy Cole] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234613/http://www.all-athletics.com/en-us/node/284331 |date=3 March 2016 }}. All Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26. He won the shot put gold medal at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.

Biography

Cole began competing in the shot put at an early age and took part in international competition, winning the 1981 title for England at the British International schools match and a bronze at the 1982 Gymnasiade behind compatriot Chris Ellis.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/bs.htm Billy Cole]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bm/isf.htm ISF WORLD GYMNASIADE British Medallists]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26. Nationally, he rose through the ranks at the English Schools Championships, winning the under-15s title in 1979 and then the under-20 title in 1982.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/esb.htm English Schools Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26. As a member of the Newham and Essex Beagles athletics club,[http://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=39237 Billy Cole]. Power of 10. Retrieved on 2015-03-26. he took part in the junior AAA championships. He won the 1980 under-17s AAA indoor title and then repeated that victory the following year with a championship record of {{T&Fcalc|18.09}}. Once he reached the full junior category competitions, he had similar success: he won the 1982 indoor title then set a championship record of {{T&Fcalc|17.00}} to win in 1984.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaaij.htm AAA Junior Indoor Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26. He had three straight wins at the AAA Junior Outdoor Championships from 1982 to 1984, including championship records of {{T&Fcalc|16.79}} and {{T&Fcalc|16.92}}.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaaj.htm Billy Cole]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26.

He began to make his impact at the senior level in 1983, starting at the national level. He third at the AAA Indoor Championships then was runner-up at the UK Athletics Championships that year behind Nick Tabor. The year after he rose to second at the AAA Indoors (behind Mike Winch) and won his first national title at the UK Championships. He broke Winch's six-year undefeated streak at the 1985 AAA Indoors, although his winning mark of {{T&Fcalc|17.32}} was the shortest in fifteen years. He defended his UK title and added the AAA Championships crown to that by winning the 1985 AAA Championships.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/uk.htm UK Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaai.htm AAA Indoor Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm AAA Championships]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26.

The 1986 season was the peak of Cole's career. The 21-year-old had a triple victory at national level by winning the AAA Indoors in {{T&Fcalc|18.48}}, a third straight UK Championships title in {{T&Fcalc|18.68}}, and a second AAA Championships title with a lifetime best of {{T&Fcalc|19.01}} at the 1986 AAA Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=19 June 2025}} These marks were his best performances ever at those competitions. His personal best moved him up to fifth on the all-time United Kingdom lists behind Geoff Capes, Mike Winch, Arthur Rowe and Bill Tancred.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/uk/mf99.htm UNITED KINGDOM ALL-TIME LISTS - MEN]. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-03-26. His achievements that year brought him his first and only senior selection for England at the 1986 Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh. The standard of throwing at that tournament was much lower than it had been in the preceding years, and Cole won the gold medal with a throw of {{T&Fcalc|18.16}} – the shortest winning throw for 24 years.[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-08-03-sp-1316-story.html Commonwealth Games : Cram Wins 1,500 Despite Tactical Error, Slow Pace; 10-Day Competition Ends]. Los Angeles Times (1986-08-03). Retrieved on 2015-03-26.[http://www.athleticsweekly.com/commonwealth-games/commonwealth-games-mens-shot-put-6913/ Commonwealth Games: Men’s shot put]. Athletics Weekly (2014-07-24). Retrieved on 2015-03-26.