Paul McMullen

Q: When did Paul McMullen die?

Paul McMullen died on March 4, 2021.

Q: How old was Paul McMullen when they died?

Paul McMullen was 49 years old at the time of death.

Paul McMullen (19 February 1972 – 4 March 2021) was an American middle-distance runner who specialized in the 1500 meters. Paul was known by some as "the pride of Cadillac" after qualifying and competing in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Early life

McMullen was born 19 February 1972, son of Doug and Theresa McMullen. He grew up in Cadillac, Michigan with his brother Phil and sister Sarah. An early physical education teacher noticed his speed and told him he should run track. Years later, when he was a 6-foot-2-inch, 165 pound tight end on his high school's football team, he and a few football teammates joined the track team during the football off-season. By his senior year of high school, McMullen won the Michigan state title in the mile.

Running career

McMullen received a small athletic scholarship to Eastern Michigan University and ran under legendary EMU coach Bob Parks. McMullen graduated in accounting in 1995 and was well prepared for a running career: as of 2022, he retains EMU's fastest time at 3:38:74 in the 1500 meter run, the second fastest time in the 800 meter run, and stands all-time 32nd of 75 men in the 5000 meter run. Although he had struggled in his early college days, red-shirting his first collegiate year, he became an eight-time All-American and was inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame in 2000 and into EMU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.

McMullen finished tenth at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg, Sweden. He won National Championships in 1995 (1500 m), 1996 (1500 m) and 1998 (Indoor Mile). He won the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials 1500 m and was a semi-finalist at the Atlanta Summer Olympics the same year, gaining the moniker, "the pride of Cadillac". His personal best 1500 m time was 3:33.89 minutes, achieved in July 2001 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. In 2001, Track and Field News ranked him at number one in the US. McMullen finished tenth at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

In 1997, McMullen lost parts of two toes when his foot slipped under a lawnmower he was operating. He returned to the sport in December 1998 and was able to run even faster than before the accident. Runner's World referred to him, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as "the world's fastest eight-toed miler."

Personal life

McMullen had two children from his first marriage (Jill Stamison), Olivia and David, aged 19 and 14 respectively at the time of his death. McMullen married secondly to his high school girl-friend, Nuria DeSoto Queralto of Spain in December 2011. His wife Nuria of just under ten years gave birth to their first child Catalina on July 5, 2014. Paul is brother to Phil McMullen, a fireman paramedic in the East Bay Area of San Francisco, California, and former world class decathlete.

Later life

Before his death, McMullen worked as a Life Safety Consultant for EPS Security and competed in masters road cycling events during the summer. He was the founder and Coach of Chariots of Fire youth running club.