Mike Bull

{{Infobox sportsperson

| name = Mike Bull

| image =

| caption =

| nationality = British (Northern Irish)

| sport = Athletics

| event = pole vault

| club = Albert Foundry AC,
Queen's University Belfast AC

| birth_date = 11 September 1946

| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height =184 cm

| weight =80 kg

}}

Michael Bull (born 11 September 1946) is a retired male pole vaulter and decathlete from Northern Ireland who competed at two Olympic Games.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/|title=Mike BULL - Decathlon gold, Pole Vault silver at 1974 Commonwealths Games - Great Britain|website=Sporting Heroes|access-date=2019-06-26}}

Biography

Bull became the British pole vault champion after winning the British AAA Championships title at the 1966 AAA Championships.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19660710/192/0017 |title=Hurdler Dave flies in for Britain |work=The People |date=10 July 1966 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=9 May 2025}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/fitness-guru-bull-set-for-spain-move-28136112.html|title=Fitness guru Bull set for Spain move|work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk|access-date=2019-06-26|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}

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).{{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=9 May 2025}} He also appeared for Great Britain at his first Olympic Games at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68926 |title=Biographical Information |website=Olympedia |access-date=9 May 2025}}

Bull represented England at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland and won the gold medal.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edinburgh-1970/athletes |title=Edinburgh 1970 Team |website=Team England |access-date=9 May 2025 }}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=9 May 2025}} At the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich, he represented Great Britain at his second Olympics.

He appeared in 69 internationals for Great Britain and Northern Ireland{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} and captained the team on numerous{{quantify|date=May 2019}} occasions.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} 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|date=May 2019}}

Upon retirement from professional athletics, Bull lectured on sports studies{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} and provided sports commentary for UTV (Ulster Television).{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} He opened his own gym in Dufferin Avenue, Bangor, County Down (Northern Ireland), Mike Bull's Health Gym{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} (now Paul's Gym), and was a fitness adviser for the Irish Rugby Football Union.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

Honours

In 2012, Dr Mike Bull was awarded the OBE by the Queen for services to sport and charity.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jun/16/queens-birthday-honours-obe|title=Queen's birthday honours list 2012: OBE|last=Staff|first=The Guardian|date=2012-06-15|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-26|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

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|date=May 2019}}