.jpg) Pukstys in 2019 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Paul Pukstys |
| National team |  United States |
| Born | (1968-05-28)May 28, 1968 (age 57) Glen Ellyn, Illinois, U.S. |
| 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 formertrack and field athlete who was ajavelin thrower. Pukstys was a six-time U.S. javelin champion, and represented the United States at the1992 and1996 Summer Olympics.
Pukstys's parents came to the U.S. fromLithuania in 1949. He was born inGlen Ellyn, Illinois. He graduated fromAmos Alonzo Stagg High School inPalos 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 theCollege 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 theUniversity of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a member of theFlorida Gators track and field team. He graduated from the University of Florida with abachelor'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 the2012 Summer Olympics inLondon.
After attending aValparaiso University master's program, in 2015 Pukstys coached theValparaiso Beacons track and field program.[1]
| 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 |
 | This biographical article about an American javelin thrower is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
