Nicholas ("Nick") Jean Buckfield (born 5 June 1973) is an English former pole vaulter.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | English |
| Born | 5 June 1973 Crawley, West Sussex |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Club | Crawley AC |
Athletics career
editDuring his youth he was a talented footballer, turning down a youth training contract with Aldershot F.C. at the age of 16.[1] He was educated at Brunel University London, where he studied Religious Studies and Sports Sciences.[2] He finished fifth in the 1997 World Championships and narrowly missed out on medals at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.[3] His career suffered setbacks due to a series of injuries, fracturing his pelvis whilst competing at the 1998 European Athletics Championships,[1] suffering an abdominal injury after falling onto his pole at a meeting in Cottbus in 2004,[4] and sustaining an Achilles tendon rupture in 2006. He retired from competition in 2008.[3]
His personal best jump was 5.80 metres, achieved in May 1998 in Chania. This was a British national record, which he held for 14 years until Steven Lewis broke it in 2012.[5] His indoor best was 5.81 metres, achieved in February 2002 in Bad Segeberg. This was also a British national record, and stood for 12 years until it was bettered by Luke Cutts in 2014.[1][6]
Competition record
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c Turnbull, Simon (20 February 2002). "Athletics: Buckfield lifts Britain out of the pole vault wilderness". independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Brunel athletes head for Melbourne". Brunel University London. 3 February 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
- ^ a b Hollis, Steve (26 August 2008). "Buckfield bows out with regrets". The Argus (Brighton). Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Buckfield in hospital". bbc.co.uk. 10 June 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "London 2012: Steven Lewis breaks British pole vault record". bbc.co.uk. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
- ^ "Luke Cutts & John Lane set new British records". bbc.co.uk. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
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