Mike Gonzales

Mike Gonzales (born March 13, 1964) is a former United States decathlete.

Gonzales attended Bishop Montgomery High School in Redondo Beach, California, where he played both football and track and field. He was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.^[1]

Gonzales was offered multiple football scholarships to play at top universities. He accepted a full scholarship in Track and Field from University of Southern California with the intention of becoming an Olympic athlete. At USC Gonzales was a standout in decathlon, where he still holds the USC record.^[2] He competed and won the gold medal in decathlon at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indiana.

Gonzales tried four times to make the USA Olympic Team in Decathlon (1984 1988, 1992,1996) but was plagued by injury in each attempt. Gonzales was recruited by Olympian Liston Bochette to participate in the 1998 Winter Olympics representing Puerto Rico in the four-man bobsled team.

Gonzales later became a competitive amateur golfer.^[3] Today he is the Director of Sales and Marketing for TOPIMR, a web-based marketing company.

Honors and awards

• 2014 USC Track and Field Hall of Fame; Heritage Award recipient
• 2013 Bishop Montgomery High School, Athletic Hall of Fame
• 1987 Gold Medalist, Pan American Games Decathlon (7649)
• 1984 USC All-American, Decathlon
• 1984 Current USC Track and Field Record Holder, Decathlon (8,022)

Education

• Bishop Montgomery High School, Redondo Beach (1982)
• University of Southern California, BS in Communications(full scholarship, track and field)^[1]

Personal life

Gonzales resides in Southern California with his wife, Debra and his son from a previous marriage.

References