Paul McCloy – Athlete

Inducted 2012

St. John’s athlete Paul McCloy enjoyed an illustrious career competing in athletics from 1979 to 1996 and many consider him to be the greatest middle and distance runner that Newfoundland has ever produced. Paul dominated the sport locally, winning the St. John’s Tely 10 road race five times. In 1985 he set a record time of 47 minutes 4 seconds – a record which still stands today. Over the years Paul has held all Newfoundland and Labrador Track records at the 800, 1500, 3000, 5000, 10000 and one mile levels, and today many of his records still stand. In addition to his long list of provincial achievements, Paul was a stand out at the national and international level. In 1984, 1985 and 1986 Paul was the CIAU 5000m champion and his record time is still standing; in 1987 he won the Canadian 5000m championship; in 1985, 1986 and 1989 he won the Canadian 10000m events. Paul is a 5 times CIAU (CIS) “All Canadian” Cross Country. Paul also competed in six international competitions. In 1986 he competed in two competitions winning the 10k in Ukiah, California with a Canadian road record time of 27.48, and the 12k Oktoberfest road race in Chicago. In 1987 he competed in the 10000m event at the World Track and Field Championships in Rome, and at the World Cross Country Championships he placed eighth – the best performance ever by a male Canadian athlete. Paul is a 16 time World Cross Country Canadian Team member. In 1988 he represented Canada internationally in the 10000m event at the Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and in 1990 he won the Milk Run 10k in Boston. Paul completed in three Commonwealth Games; 1986 in Edinburgh, Scotland where he placed 4th in the 10000m; 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand and 1994 in Victoria, BC. At the 1987 Pan American Games, in Indianapolis, USA Paul won a bronze medal in the 10000m event. In recognition of his tremendous accomplishments, Paul won the provincial Ferd Hayward Senior Male Athlete of the Year Award in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987; the St. John’s Male Athlete of the Year (Tom Dynamite Dunne Memorial Award) in 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1990; is a member of Memorial University’s Athletic Honour Society; has earned eighth place on The Telegram’s list of the Top 10 Athletes in Newfoundland and Labrador history and in 2005 was inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame. Paul McCloy is known as a self-reliant hard worker who trained hard to reach his goals. He is truly a world-class athlete, evident by his success on the provincial, national and international stages.