Milan Tiff facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  United States |
||
| Pan American Games | ||
| Bronze | 1975 Mexico City | Triple jump |
Milan Tiff (born July 5, 1949) is an American track and field athlete. He is famous for his amazing triple jump skills. He also has many other talents. Milan won a bronze medal at the 1975 Pan American Games. During those games, he used the name Abdul Rahman. He also used the name Caleb Abdul Rahman in 1976 and 1977. But he has used Milan Tiff for most of his career. He was one of the top ten triple jumpers in the world in 1975 and 1977.
Milan Tiff's Early Life and Achievements
As a child, Milan Tiff had a condition called Osgood-Schlatter disease. Because of this, he could not walk until he was 8 years old. But he grew up to be an incredible athlete. He was the first American to jump 57 feet in the triple jump. He did this while winning his second USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Milan grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. In June 1968, he set an Ohio high school record. He triple jumped 49 feet, 11 inches. In 1969, he started college at Miami University in Ohio. In March 1970, Milan won the NCAA championship in the triple jump. Later, he moved to UCLA to train with coach Jim Bush. At UCLA, he was teammates with famous athletes like John Smith and Dwight Stones. Milan won the 1973 NCAA Championship in the Triple Jump while at UCLA. After finishing college, he became an assistant coach with Jim Bush. He also joined the Southern California Striders team.
Milan is also a talented painter. He spends a lot of time creating art. He brings an artistic touch to many things he does. Like some athletes from his time, he acted in the 1982 movie Personal Best. Later, he even trained actor Emilio Estevez for some movie roles. Milan has continued to train athletes at UCLA, including many NBA players. In 1991, he wrote a book about his own exercise method. It was called "Traveling light: an original form of exercise."
In 1979, Milan Tiff was honored. He was added to the Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame. Milan's father, Benjamin, was also a runner. He ran on a sprint relay team with the legendary Jesse Owens. Milan's sister, Michele Tiff-Hill, was also a great athlete. She qualified for the 1984 Olympic Trials in the Marathon.
Olympic Dreams
Milan Tiff competed in the Olympic Trials several times. He placed 10th at the 1972 trials. He also competed in the 1976 trials.
Still Jumping: Masters Athletics
Milan thought he would stop competing after the Olympics. But he kept jumping in Masters athletics events. He still competes even in his 60s! He has set several Masters World Records as he got older. In 2009, he almost tied the M60 world record. Just a small gust of wind stopped him.
As a Masters athlete, Milan has three official Masters World Records. He also holds one Masters American Record. He has set meet records at several events. These include the Masters SCA, Masters West Region, Striders Meet of Champions, and the Grandfather Games.
