Michael Bull (born 11 September 1946, Belfast, Northern Ireland)^[1] is a retired male pole vaulter and decathlete from Northern Ireland. He set his personal best in the pole vault (5.25 metres) on 22 September 1973 at a meet in London.

Career

Bull first achieved success in 1966, winning silver for the pole vault at the Commonwealth Games.^[2] Then in 1970, he won gold at the Commonwealth Games.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[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]}

Honours

In 2012, Dr Mike Bull was awarded the OBE by the Queen for services to sport and charity.^[3]

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]}

Achievements