Tom Pukstys
 Pukstys in 2019 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Paul Pukstys |
| National team |  United States |
| Born | May 28, 1968 Glen Ellyn, Illinois |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 216 lb (98 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track and field |
| Event | Javelin throw |
| College team | College of DuPage University of Florida |
Thomas Paul Pukstys (born May 28, 1968) is an American former track and field athlete who was a javelin thrower. Pukstys was a six-time U.S. javelin champion, and represented the United States at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
Biography
Pukstys's parents came to the U.S. from Lithuania in 1949. He was born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. He graduated from Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills, Illinois. His older brother Andrew was attending medical school in Lithuania, and returned home with a gift for Pukstys: a javelin. Thereafter, Pukstys quit the high school baseball team and went out for the track team, throwing the javelin 155 feet in his first track meet.
For his first two years as an undergraduate, Pukstys enrolled in the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn and was a member of the DuPage Chaparrals track and field team. After his sophomore year, he accepted an athletic scholarship to transfer to the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a member of the Florida Gators track and field team. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in public relations in 1992.
Pukstys broke his first American record in June 1993. His personal best was a throw of 87.12 meters in 1997.
Pusktys was an assistant track and field coach for the U.S. Olympic team that competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
After attending a Valparaiso University master's program, in 2015 Pukstys coached the Valparaiso Beacons track and field program.[1]
Seasonal bests by year
- 1987 - 71.34
- 1988 - 75.72
- 1989 - 74.82
- 1990 - 83.30
- 1991 - 81.68
- 1992 - 83.20
- 1993 - 85.70
- 1994 - 82.32
- 1995 - 84.50
- 1996 - 86.82
- 1997 - 87.12
- 1998 - 85.06
- 1999 - 84.11
- 2000 - 84.25
- 2001 - 79.48
- 2003 - 79.31
- 2004 - 78.85
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | World Championships | Tokyo, Japan | 26th | 74.72 m |
| 1992 | Olympic Games | Barcelona, Spain | 10th | 76.72 m |
| 1993 | World Championships | Stuttgart, Germany | 9th | 77.92 m |
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 19th | 76.12 m |
| 1996 | Olympic Games | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | 8th | 83.58 m |
| 1997 | World Championships | Athens, Greece | 15th | 78.64 m |
| IAAF Grand Prix Final | Fukuoka, Japan | 4th | 85.68 m | |
| 1998 | Goodwill Games | Uniondale, New York, United States | 2nd | 79.86 m |
| 1999 | World Championships | Seville, Spain | — | DNS |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 20th | 78.10 m |
See also
References
- ^ "FORMER OLYMPIAN: COACH TOM PUKSTYS '16 M.S. MOTIVATES NEW GENERATION OF ATHLETES". valpo.edu. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- Tom Pukstys at World Athletics
- USATF Profile
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Tom Pukstys". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17.
