Background
Born at Travis Air Force Base, California, he grew up in San Diego County and went to Oceanside High School.
Born at Travis Air Force Base, California, he grew up in San Diego County and went to Oceanside High School.
He finished second in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships in 1977 and 1978.
Banks is an. He was a track & field athlete competing in the triple jump. On June 16, 1985 he set a world record of 17.97 m (58 feet 115 inches) at the national championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America. He earned his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor (Juris Doctor) from University of California, Los Angeles, but was unable to pass the bar examination He broke the American record in 1981.
He participated on the 1983 and 1987 World Championship teams.
He was awarded the Track & Field News and United States Olympic Committee Athlete of the Year in 1985. He served United States of America Track & Field as chair of the Athletes Advisory Committee in addition to serving as an organization vice president
Banks will always be remembered as one of the most flamboyant athletes to compete in track and field He is the originator of the now common hand clapping that takes place during many track and field events.
His exuberant personality was also present in his jumping.
He has been reported as laughing during some of his jumps. When he set the world record of 17.97 m at the 1985 United States of America Outdoor Track and Field Championships, his attention seemed more intent on completing his jump in order to cheer for teammate Claudette Groenendaal who was completing her 800 metres on the track adjacent to the runway at the same time. He held that record for over ten years until Jonathan Edwards broke it for the first time in 1995 with 17.98m.
He also jumped 18.20m at Indianapolis in 1988, but this was assisted by an over the limit wind reading of 5.2 m/son
He is still competing, clearing an impressive 14.00 m to head the 2006 world masters rankings in the 50–54 age group, just 7 cm behind that age-group"s world record. On September 22, 2012, Banks became the oldest American to clear 6 feet in the High Jump at the age of 56 using just a 3-step approach and the classic "roll" technique.
Foreign that performance, Banks was named the USATF Athlete of the Week. He was inducted into the United States of America National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1999.
Banks was President of the United States Olympians Association from 2005 to 2008.
In 2008 he joined the newly reconstituted USATF Board of Directors. Banks was on a panel on an Entertainment and Sports Programming Network "Outside the Lincolnshire" episode regarding athlete involvement in social issues, dated May 18, 2008.
He was a member of the 1980, 1984, and 1988 Olympic teams.