Geoff Parsons (athlete)

Geoffrey Peter Parsons is an English born high jumper who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1988 Summer Olympics and represented Scotland at the Commonwealth Games.

Biography

Parsons represented Scotland at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, participating in the [Athletics at the 1982 1994 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games – Men's high jump|high jump competition] where he finished in 7th place. The following year at the 1983 AAA Championships, Parsons became the British high jump champion despite finishing 5th because he was the highest placed British athlete.
He began to dominate British high jumping and was British champion again in 1984 shortly before he represented Great Britain at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Parsons won the AAA Championships title outright at the 1986 AAA Championships and would successfully defend the title in 1987 and 1988.
Before going to his second Olympics in 1988, Parsons had recorded his best career achievement by claiming a silver medal when representing Scotland in the high jump at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. His next Olympic appearance ensued where he finished 16th at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.
In addition to his AAA titles, he was three-times UK Athletics Championships champion and won two bronze medals at consecutive Commonwealth Games in 1990 and 1994.
His personal best jump was 2.31 metres, achieved at the Commonwealth Games in Victoria on the 26 August 1994. He was trained by Ron Murray.