Tim Mack’s career has been all about raising the bar.
Born On: September 15, 1972
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Resides: Cleveland, Ohio
Education: Malone ’93, Tennessee ’95
Height: 6′ 2
Tim Mack’s career has been all about raising the bar. Whether in pole vaulting, his education or in the community Tim has taken his career to new levels.
2004 was the peak of Tim’s career as he set the bar for all future United States pole vaulters. The Olympic games in Athens brought a gold medal and Olympic record for the Cleveland, Ohio native. Later in the year Tim joined the renowned 6-meter club as just the third American and one of less than 15 athletes overall to gain membership. His jump of 6.01m in a victory at the World Championships in Athletics was the highest jump in the U.S. that year and the second highest jump in U.S. history.
A heavy favorite going into the Olympics, Tim was ranked number one by Track and Field News in 2004. He won the Olympic trials in Sacramento and would go on to defeat U.S. teammate Toby Stevenson with an Olympic record jump of 5.95m to take the gold.
Tim attributes a great deal of his success to his parent’s dedication to him and the sport. Rather than run cross-country, his other option, Tim began his pole vaulting career in the eighth grade. By his senior year at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland he was a Junior Olympic Pole Vault Champion.
As the youngest of five children, Tim stayed close to home for school, going to Malone College a small liberal arts school in Canton, Ohio. The Junior Olympic Champion continued his success in college, being named a NAIA All-American two straight years. His early success led to a scholarship to the University of Tennessee. Once again he earned All-American honors two straight years, this time with the NCAA, and capped off his senior year with an NCAA Indoor Championship.
Despite a significant calf injury in 2005, Tim is back in the game. He placed first in a meet at Chula Vista in 2007 posting a jump of 5.86m. U.S. Track and Field News rewarded his efforts by ranking him number five in the states for the year.
A 1995 graduate of Tennessee, Tim received a bachelor’s degree in Education. Always trying to raise the bar, he continued on to get his masters in Human Performance and Sports Studies. Tim has used his studies and experience to aid the surrounding community, coaching Knoxville-area youth pole vaulters. Like their coach, his students continue to raise the bar, winning three male state championships and one female.
