Tim Bright
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | July 28, 1960 Taft, California, USA |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
Event(s) | Pole vault, Decathlon |
| College team | Linn-Benton Roadrunners Abilene Christian Wildcats |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | Pole vault: 5.85 m (1996) Decathlon: 8,340 (1987) |
Timothy William Bright (born July 28, 1960) is an American retired athlete in the pole vault and the decathlon.
Collegiate career
Bright participated in track & field at Linn-Benton Community College from 1978-80, earning NJCAA all-America honors his sophomore year, and then transferred to Abilene Christian University. In 1991, he was elected to the NWAC Hall of Fame.[1]
International career
Bright represented the United States in the decathlon at the 1984 Olympics, the 1988 Olympics, and the 1987 World Championships, and in the pole vault at the 1985 World University Games, the 1985 World Cup, the 1991 World Championships, and the 1992 Olympics.
In 1987, he scored a personal best of 8,340 points in the decathlon at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in San Jose.[2][3] At one point, he held the decathlon world record for the pole vault at 5.70 m, set during the 1988 Olympics.[4]
In 1991 and 1992, Bright became an American champion the in pole vault.[5] At the British AAA Championships he won the title in 1991 and finished runner-up in 1985 behind Kory Tarpenning and in 1993 behind Australian Simon Arkell.[6][7]
Post-career
In 2010, Bright took up a coaching career in men's pole vault at Concordia University (Oregon) and Lewis & Clark College.[8] In 2019, he became a volunteer assistant coach for women's track and field at Oregon State University.[9]
Achievements
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Result | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Summer Olympics | Los Angeles | 12th | Decathlon |
| 1985 | World Cup | Canberra | 3rd | Pole vault |
| 1987 | World Championships | Rome | DNF | Decathlon |
| 1988 | Summer Olympics | Seoul | 7th | Decathlon |
| 1989 | World Cup | Barcelona | 2nd | Pole vault |
| 1990 | Goodwill Games | Seattle | 3rd | Pole vault |
| 1991 | World Championships | Tokyo | 6th | Pole vault |
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona | 12th | Pole vault |
Personal bests
Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.
Outdoor
- As of June 20, 2025
| Event | Performance | Location | Date | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decathlon | — | San Jose | June 23–24, 1987 | 8,340 points |
| 100 meters | 10.90[10] | San Jose | June 23, 1987 | 883 points |
| Long jump | 7.31 m (23 ft 11+3⁄4 in)[10] | San Jose | June 23, 1987 | 888 points |
| Shot put | 14.35 m (47 ft 3⁄4 in)[10] | San Jose | June 23, 1987 | 750 points |
| High jump | 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)[10] | San Jose | June 23, 1987 | 906 points |
| 400 meters | 48.87 | Los Angeles | August 8, 1984 | 867 points |
| 110 meters hurdles | 14.16[10] | San Jose | June 24, 1987 | 954 points |
| Discus throw | 41.74 m (136 ft 11+1⁄4 in) | Los Angeles | August 9, 1984 | 700 points |
| Pole vault | 5.70 m (18 ft 8+1⁄4 in) | Seoul | September 29, 1988 | 1,132 points |
| Javelin throw | 61.60 m (202 ft 1 in) | Seoul | September 29, 1988 | 762 points |
| 1500 meters | 4:42.34[11] | Indianapolis | June 18, 1985 | 666 points |
| Virtual Best Performance | 8,508 points | |||
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pole vault | 5.85 m (19 ft 2+1⁄4 in)[12] | Monmouth | June 8, 1996 |
Indoor
- As of June 20, 2025
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pole vault | 5.80 m (19 ft 1⁄4 in)[12] | Atlanta | March 4, 1995 |
References
- ^ "LB Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2022". linnbenton.edu. August 17, 2022.
- ^ Fachet, Robert (June 25, 1987). "BRIGHT'S VAULTING BEATS MUZZIO IN DECATHLON". washingtonpost.com.
- ^ "History of US Nationals Results: Decathlon - Men". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
- ^ "Decathlon: East Germans Finish 1-2; Daley Thompson Ends Up in 4th Place". latimes.com. September 30, 1988.
American Tim Bright set an Olympic and world record for the decathlon pole vault by clearing 18-8 1/4.
- ^ "UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN 1943-)". gbrathletics.com. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
- ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ "AAA CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)". gbrathletics.com. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
- ^ "2010 Men's Track & Field Coaching Staff". Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
- ^ "Tim Bright". osubeavers.com. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "TAC Championships" (PDF). trackandfieldnews.com. July 2, 1987. p. 4.
- ^ "TAC Championships" (PDF). trackandfieldnews.com. June 27, 1985. p. 3.
- ^ a b "Tim Bright". brinkster.net. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
External links
- Tim Bright at World Athletics
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Tim Bright". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020.
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