Willie Banks

From WikiRun

Willie Banks
Event	triple jump
Height	6'3" (190 cm)
Weight	170 lbs (77 kg)
Nationality	United States
PR	HJ – 2.08 (6-10) (1977); LJ – 8.11 (26-7¼) (1981); TJ – 17.97 (58-11½) (1985)
Born	March 11, 1956 at Travis Air Force Base, CA
High School	Oceanside HS (CA)
College	UCLA
Club	Mazda Optimists Track Club

William Augustus "Willie" Banks, III (1956-) is an American triple jumper who competed in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics finishing in 6th place both times. Banks was also a member of the 1980 Olympic team.

He earned his B.A. and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from UCLA, but was unable to pass the bar exam.

A four-time National triple jump champion (1980-81, 83, 85), in 1985 Willie Banks won that National TAC Championship meet with 17.97 (58-11½) to become the first American since Daniel Ahearn in 1911 to set a triple jump world record. Banks also broke the American record seven times.^[1] Banks had a long career in international track competition, first representing the US at the 1977 World University Games (3rd). He won that event in 1979 and was 1985 World Cup champion. Banks won silver medals at the 1979 and 1987 Pan American Games and the 1983 World Championships in Athletics. He is still competing, clearing an impressive 14.00m to head the 2006 world masters rankings ^[2] in the 50-54 age group, just 7cm behind that age-group's world record. He won the 2007 World Masters championships in that same age group.

He became a lawyer, but still competed, and was known as “The Bounding Barrister.” In 1988, Banks competed in the "Superstars" TV series and won $2,300.[3] He served USA Track and Field as chair of the Athletes Advisory Committee in addition to serving as an organization vice president. From 2005 to 2008, Banks was President of the US Olympians Association. He is chair of the Olympians’ Competition Advisory Committee for the 2009 Senior Games.[4] In 1999, Banks was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and the Mt. SAC Hall of Fame.[1] External links IAAF profile for Willie Banks sports-reference.com profile

References ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.mtsacrelays.com/archives/HallFame/Banks.htm Retrieved 2009-02-17. ↑ http://www.mastersathletics.net/ Retrieved 2009-02-17. ↑ http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dugout/8973/athletes/bankswillie.html Retrieved 2009-02-17. ↑ http://www.pausatf.org/data/2008/Senior.pdf Retrieved 2009-02-17.