Philip MAY

Phil May was Australia’s top horizontal jumper in the late 1960s and early 70s, competing in both the long and triple jump. He won four national titles in the long jump (1965, 1969-71) and six in the triple jump (1966-69, 1971, 1973). May’s greatest competition was the 1970 Commonwealth Games where he won the gold medal in the triple jump and a silver medal in the long jump. In 1969 he competed at the Pacific Conference Games in Tokyo, and won titles in the long jump, triple jump, and 4x100 relay. May injured his foot seriously at a meet in the United States in 1971 and was never as good again, although he did compete at the 1974 Commonwealth Games. He was world ranked in the top 10 four times in the triple jump (1968-71), with a high of fifth in 1970, and he was world ranked sixth in the triple jump in 1970.

May remained involved in sport after he stopped competing, serving as a national selector from 1977-83, and was chairman of the panel for four years. He also mentored young athletes. In 1991 May opened a small coffee house in Cottesloe along with Patria Jafferies, called the Dome Coffee House. This later became very popular and eventually morphed into Dome Coffees Australia. May and Jafferies sold it to private equity in December 2003.

Personal Best: TJ – 17.02 (1968).