Mike Agostini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mike Agostini

Agostini in 1956
Personal information
Full name	Michael George Raymond Agostini
Born	(1935-01-23)23 January 1935 Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Died	12 May 2016(2016-05-12) (aged 81) Sydney, Australia
Height	171 cm
Weight	66 kg
Sport
Country	Trinidad and Tobago
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Sprint
Club	Villanova Wildcats
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m – 10.2 (1958) 200 m – 20.5 (1956)
Medal record Representing  Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Gold 1954 Vancouver 100 yd Bronze 1958 Cardiff 100 yd Pan American Games Silver 1955 Mexico City 100 m Bronze 1955 Mexico City 200 m Representing  British West Indies (BWI) Pan American Games Silver 1959 Chicago 100 m Bronze 1959 Chicago 200 m Bronze 1959 Chicago 4×100 m

Michael George Raymond Agostini (born January 23, 1935 – died May 12, 2016) was a famous track and field athlete from Trinidad and Tobago. He made history by becoming the first athlete from his country to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. This big win happened on July 31, 1954, in Vancouver, Canada, where he won the 100 yards race.

Early Life and Family

Michael Agostini was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, on January 23, 1935. Sports were a big part of his family's life. His father played football, and his mother enjoyed hockey. All his brothers and sisters also took part in football and athletics at St. Mary's College, where they studied.

Mike Agostini's Athletics Career

During his school years, Mike Agostini was active in athletics, football, and boxing. He showed great talent early on.

Beating an Olympic Champion

In 1952, Mike Agostini achieved a big win in Kingston. He defeated Herb McKenley, a Jamaican sprinter who had won a gold and two silver medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics. This showed how skilled Agostini was, even at a young age.

Setting a World Record

Mike Agostini earned a scholarship to Villanova University. There, he trained with a famous coach named Jumbo Elliott. On his 19th birthday, January 23, 1954, he set a new world indoor record for the 100 yards race in Washington. He even beat Olympic champion Lindy Remigino that day.

Commonwealth Games Gold

Later in 1954, Agostini competed in the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada. He won the gold medal in the 100 yards race with a time of 9.6 seconds. He beat Canadian Don McFarlane and Australian Hec Hogan. This made him the first athlete from Trinidad and Tobago to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Hogan was a strong competitor, known for tying world records.

Pan American Games Success

Mike Agostini continued his success at the Pan American Games.

• In 1955, at the games in Mexico City, he won a silver medal in the 100 meters race. He also earned a bronze medal in the 200 meters race.
• At the 1959 Chicago Pan American Games, he won another silver in the 100 meters. He also took home two bronze medals: one for the 200 meters and another for the 4×100 meters relay race.

More Medals and Olympic Appearances

At the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Mike Agostini won a bronze medal in the 100 yards run. He finished behind Keith Gardner from Jamaica and Tom Robinson from the Bahamas.

In 1959, he won another gold medal at the 1959 British West Indies Championships in the 100 meters. He also got a bronze in the 200 meters. Agostini also represented Trinidad and Tobago at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He competed in the 100 meters and 200 meters races, finishing 6th and 4th, respectively.

Life After Sports

Mike Agostini stopped competing professionally in the late 1950s. He earned a degree in economics from Fresno State University in 1958.

Moving to Australia

In the late 1950s, Agostini moved to Australia. He married Pamela, and they had two daughters and two sons. He became an Australian citizen in 1961.

Coaching and Writing

After retiring from sports, Mike Agostini became a coach. He trained many sprinters, including famous athletes like Ralph Doubell and Jenny Lamy. He also worked as a freelance journalist and a teacher for a short time. In the mid-1960s, he was the editor and publisher for Track and Field magazine. He edited many other publications and wrote nine books.

In 2007, Mike Agostini was honored by being inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame. He passed away on May 12, 2016, in Sydney, Australia, after battling cancer.