Bill TOOMEY

After graduating from the University of Colorado in 1962, Bill Toomey obtained a master's degree in education from Stanford. Although he was a promising all-round athlete while at Colorado, his performances there did not presage his future greatness. He won the first of his four AAU pentathlon titles in 1960 and turned to the decathlon in 1963, placing fifth in the AAU. In 1964 he took fourth place at the Final Trials, only missing the Tokyo team by 109 points. Toomey's first major victory came in 1965 when he won the first of his record number of five AAU titles and in 1966 he set a world record of 8,234 points, although the mark was not ratified. In 1967 he was the Pan American Games champion and in 1968 he took the Olympic title after setting a record first day score of 4,499 points, which included a 45.6 400 m. The following year, Toomey set an official world record of 8,417 points and one week later he married Mary Rand, Britain's 1964 Olympic long jump champion (they later divorced). After a successful career as a television broadcaster and marketing consultant, Bill Toomey replaced Bo Roberson as coach at Cal/Irvine.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.3 (1966); 200 – 21.2 (1966); 400 – 45.6 (1968); 1500 – 4:12.7 (1964); 110H – 14.2 (1969); 400H – 5.17 (1961); HJ – 6-6¾ (2.00) (1969); PV – 14-0¼ (4.27) (1969); LJ – 26-0¼ (7.93) (1969); SP – 47-2¼ (14.38) (1969); DT – 154-2 (46.99) 1969); JT – 225-8 (68.78) (1969); Dec – 8309 (1969).