Mac Wilkins
Inducted: November,
2005
Born: November 15, 1950 -
Eugene, Oregon
Events
Discus Throw - 70.86 m
Mac
Wilkins' career spanned 21 years, four Olympic teams and four world records in
the discus. He set three of those records on a single day, on three consecutive
throws in 1976, during which he raised his prior world record from 226' 11" to
232' 6". A 1973 graduate of the University of Oregon, Wilkins also had lifetime
bests of 69' 1 1/4", 1977 National Indoor Champion in the shot put, 208' 10" in
the hammer throw and 257' 4" in the javelin. He was nationally ranked in three
events, but it was in the discus where he achieved his greatest glory. In 1976,
Wilkins not only shattered the world record in the event but won the gold medal
at the Olympics after setting an Olympic record of 224' 0" in the preliminaries.
He was also on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that didn't compete, placed second at
the 1984 Games and was fifth at the 1988 Games. In addition, Wilkins was the
1979 Pan-American Games champion, was second in the 1977 and 1979 World Cups and
was 10th at the 1983 World Championships. He was top-ranked in the world in 1976
and 1980 and was the top-ranked U.S. discus thrower eight times, including six
in a row from 1976 through 1981. In international competition, Mac achieved 13
throws over 70m.
Records Held
World Record: Discus Throw – April 25, 1976 69.xx
May 1 69.xx
May 1 70.xx
70.86 m (May 1, 1976 - )
Championships
1976 Olympics: Discus Throw (1st)
1984 Olympics: Discus Throw (2nd)
1988 Olympics: Discus Throw (5th)
1977 World Cup: Discus Throw (2nd)
1979 World Cup: Discus Throw (2nd)
1983 World Outdoors: Discus Throw (10th)
1979 Pan-Am Games: Discus Throw (1st)
Education
Undergraduate: Oregon (Eugene, Oregon), 1973
Occupations
Schoolteacher, Corporate Technology Sales