Mark Pharaoh

{{Short description|British discus thrower, shot putter, and hammer thrower (1931–2020)}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

|name = Mark Pharaoh

|image =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date|1931|7|18|df=y}}

|birth_place = Wandsworth, Greater London, England

|death_date = {{death date and age|2020|4|27|1931|7|18|df=y}}{{cite web |title=Olympedia – Mark Pharaoh |url=http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69388 |website=olympedia.org |access-date=2 January 2021}}

| death_place = Malvern, England

| sport= track and field

| event = discus throw

| club = Manchester University AC

| height =190 cm

| weight = 95 kg

|medaltemplates=

{{Medal|Country | {{GBR2}} }}

{{Medal|Country | {{ENG}} }}

}}

Mark Pharaoh (18 July 1931 – 27 April 2020) was a track and field athlete, who competed in the discus throw at both the 1952 Helsinki Olympics[http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=2488 Profile at British Olympic Association] and the 1956 Melbourne Olympics where he came fourth. This has been described as by far the finest single achievement in British discus history.[http://www.mikewinch.co.uk/Squad%20docs/AW%20SP%20DT%20ranks.pdf UK ALL-TIME RANKINGS Top spot for Capes and Tancred, MEL WATMAN rates the top British shot and discus throwers of all time, according to championship and record performances] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308065324/http://www.mikewinch.co.uk/Squad%20docs/AW%20SP%20DT%20ranks.pdf |date=8 March 2012 }} He was also an international shot put and hammer thrower.

Biography

Pharaoh was born 18 July 1931 and as a youth attended Manchester Grammar School where he excelled at sport and was an active member of the Gannet patrol of Troop 4 of the school's scouts. He went on to study at Manchester University.[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418041016/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ph/mark-pharaoh-1.html Profile at sports-reference.com]

Pharaoh became the British discus throw champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1952 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19520623/190/0007 |title=Results |work=The Scotsman |date=23 June 1952 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 April 2025}}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000272/19520621/008/0008 |title=AAA walk record by Hardy |work=Manchester Evening News |date=21 June 1952 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=21 April 2025}} Shortly afterwards he represented the Great Britain team at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69388 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=21 April 2025}}

Pharaoh successfully retained his title at the 1953 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=21 April 2025}} He was fifth in the shot put at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and second in the hammer at the 1953 Summer International University Sports Week.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/bm/wsg.htm British Medallists at the WORLD STUDENT GAMES (UNIVERSIADE)]

At the 1956 Summer Olympics, he came fourth, setting a British record of 54.27 m. in the process and missing the bronze medal by just 13 cm. Pharaoh also represented Walton Athletic Club in Walton-on-Thames.[http://www.waltonac.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=3 Walton AC at the Commonwealth Games]

Pharaoh won two more AAA titles at the 1955 AAA Championships and the 1956 AAA Championships.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=21 April 2025}}