HONOLULU – Olympian and renowned pole vaulter Tom Hintnaus will join the Hawai'i track & field program as an assistant coach working with the pole vaulters, director of track & field/cross country Tim Boyce announced Monday.
 
Hintnaus, one of the world's best pole vaulters in the early 1980s, took gold at the 1980 Olympic boycott games for the United States while coming in 12th at the 1984 Olympics representing Brazil. He also joins the UH coaching staff with 15 years of coaching experience at the high school and international levels.
 
"We're thrilled to add Tom to our coaching staff," said Boyce. "In addition to his international competitive success he brings many years of coaching experience on O'ahu to our program. Our pole vaulters will continue to receive great guidance under his leadership."
 
After a decorated collegiate career at the University of Oregon, Hintnaus took home gold at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials with a vault of 5.60m (18-4.5) and was one of the favorites to win gold at that year's Olympic Games. However, due to the United States' boycott of the games held in Russia, Hintnaus competed against athletes from 29 other countries at the 1980 Liberty Bell Classic where he took home gold.
 
Hintnaus would go on to represent the country of his birth, Brazil, later in his career and set the South American record in the pole vault in 1985 at 5.76m, a mark that would stand for 22 years. He took home the bronze medal at the 1983 Pan American Games and finished fifth at the 1983 World Championships.
 
Following his retirement from competition, Hintnaus transitioned to coaching pole vaulters at the high school and international levels. He worked with the pole vaulters for the South African national team during the 1992 Olympics and has coached in Hawai'i at the high school level for 13 years.
 
Hintnaus most recently coached the pole vaulters at Punahou School for 11 years from 2012-22, guiding three athletes to state titles over that span. He also coached his daughter, Tommi Hintnaus, who went on to achieve collegiate All-America status with a 12th-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Championships.