Mark McKoy
Encyclopedia
Mark Anthony McKoy (born December 10, 1961) is a former Canadian
athlete, winner of 110 metres hurdles
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
.
Born in Georgetown
, Guyana
, Mark McKoy spent his youth in England
, before moving to Canada as a teenager. He attended Clemson University
in 1980, but dropped out.
McKoy came to the international athletics scene in 1982 by winning a gold medal in 110 m hurdles and silver in 4 x 100 m relay at the Commonwealth Games
. In the next year McKoy finished fourth at the first World Championships
and repeated this place at the 1984 Summer Olympics
.
In 1986, McKoy repeated his victory in 110 m hurdles at Commonwealth Games
and turned his 4x100 m relay silver to gold medal, but finished seventh at the 1987 World Championships
.
McKoy finished seventh in the hurdles at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
, as he hit a number of hurdles in the final. His compatriot Ben Johnson
tested positive for banned substances at the Games. Over the course of the Dubin Inquiry, McKoy was another of Charlie Francis
's trainees to admit to doping and he was banned for two years.
McKoy made a come-back at the 1991 World Championships
, finishing fourth again in 110 m hurdles. At the Olympic Games
in Barcelona
, McKoy put his fourth-place streak behind him and won the gold medal in 13.12 seconds. At the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships
in Toronto
he won the 60 m hurdles.
A training mate of Colin Jackson
, he appeared with Jackson and Linford Christie
in the workout video The S Plan: Get Fit with Christie and Jackson in 1993.
McKoy had emigrated to Austria
over the course of his drugs ban and he consequently obtained Austrian citizenship in 1994. He spent the last years of his career competing for his adopted country and set an Austrian record
of 13.14 seconds in the 110 m hurdles.
He has since returned to Toronto, where he now works as personal athletic trainer and therapist. He is an older cousin to the an athlete in Guyana, Kevin Parker who runs marathons.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
athlete, winner of 110 metres hurdles
110 metres hurdles
The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
.
Born in Georgetown
Georgetown, Guyana
Georgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Mark McKoy spent his youth in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, before moving to Canada as a teenager. He attended Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
in 1980, but dropped out.
McKoy came to the international athletics scene in 1982 by winning a gold medal in 110 m hurdles and silver in 4 x 100 m relay at the Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
. In the next year McKoy finished fourth at the first World Championships
1983 World Championships in Athletics
The inaugural World Championships in Athletics were run under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations and were held at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland between August 7 and August 14, 1983....
and repeated this place at the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
.
In 1986, McKoy repeated his victory in 110 m hurdles at Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
and turned his 4x100 m relay silver to gold medal, but finished seventh at the 1987 World Championships
1987 World Championships in Athletics
The 2nd World Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy between August 28 and September 6, 1987.-Track:1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995...
.
McKoy finished seventh in the hurdles at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, as he hit a number of hurdles in the final. His compatriot Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson (athlete)
Benjamin Sinclair "Ben" Johnson, CM , is a former sprinter from Canada, who enjoyed a high-profile career during most of the 1980s, winning two Olympic bronze medals and an Olympic gold, which was subsequently rescinded...
tested positive for banned substances at the Games. Over the course of the Dubin Inquiry, McKoy was another of Charlie Francis
Charlie Francis
Charles Merrick "Charlie" Francis was a sprint coach most noteworthy for being the trainer of sprinter Ben Johnson, the first competitor to be stripped of an Olympic gold medal for using banned drugs, and sprinters Angella Issajenko, Mark McKoy, and Desai Williams...
's trainees to admit to doping and he was banned for two years.
McKoy made a come-back at the 1991 World Championships
1991 World Championships in Athletics
The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the...
, finishing fourth again in 110 m hurdles. At the Olympic Games
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, McKoy put his fourth-place streak behind him and won the gold medal in 13.12 seconds. At the 1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships
1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 4th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Skydome in Toronto, Canada from March 12 to March 14, 1993. It was the last Indoor Championships to feature the 5,000 and 3,000 metres race walk events. In addition, it was the first Indoor Championships to include heptathlon and...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
he won the 60 m hurdles.
A training mate of Colin Jackson
Colin Jackson
Colin Ray Jackson CBE is a British former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. Over his career representing Great Britain and Wales he won an Olympic silver medal, became world champion three times, went undefeated at the European Championships for 12 years and...
, he appeared with Jackson and Linford Christie
Linford Christie
Linford Cicero Christie OBE is a former sprinter from the United Kingdom. He is the only British man to have won gold medals in the 100 metres at all four major competitions open to British athletes: the Olympic Games, the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games...
in the workout video The S Plan: Get Fit with Christie and Jackson in 1993.
McKoy had emigrated to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
over the course of his drugs ban and he consequently obtained Austrian citizenship in 1994. He spent the last years of his career competing for his adopted country and set an Austrian record
Austrian records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in Austria maintained by its national athletics federation: Österreichischer Leichtathletik-Verband .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:# = not officially ratified-External links:* * * * *...
of 13.14 seconds in the 110 m hurdles.
He has since returned to Toronto, where he now works as personal athletic trainer and therapist. He is an older cousin to the an athlete in Guyana, Kevin Parker who runs marathons.