Cole began competing in the shot put at an early age and took part in international competition, winning the 1981 title for England at the British International Schools Match and a bronze at the 1982 Gymnasiade behind compatriot Chris Ellis. Nationally, he rose through the ranks at the English Schools Championships, winning the under-15s title in 1979 and then the under-20 title in 1982. As a member of the Newham and Essex Beaglesathletics club, he took part in the junior AAA championships. He won the 1980 under-17s AAA indoor title and then repeated that victory the following year with a championship record of. Once he reached the full junior category competitions, he had similar success: he won the 1982 indoor title then set a championship record of to win in 1984. He had three straight wins at the AAA Junior Outdoor Championships from 1982 to 1984, including championship records of and. He began to make his impact at the senior level in 1983, starting at the national level. He third at the AAA Indoor Championships then was runner-up at the UK Athletics Championships that year behind Nick Tabor. The year after he rose to second at the AAA Indoors and won his first national title at the UK Championships. He broke Winch's six-year undefeated streak at the 1985 AAA Indoors, although his winning mark of was the shortest in fifteen years. He defended his UK title and added the AAA Championships crown to that, though again his victory in was a low not reached since 1968. The 1986 season was the peak of Cole's career. The 21-year-old had a triple victory at national level by winning the AAA Indoors in, a third straight UK Championships title in, and a second AAA Championships title with a lifetime best of. These marks were his best performances ever at those competitions. His personal best moved him up to fifth on the all-time United Kingdom lists behind Geoff Capes, Mike Winch, Arthur Rowe and Bill Tancred. His achievements that year brought him his first and only senior selection for England at the 1986 Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh. The standard of throwing at that tournament was much lower than it had been in the preceding years, and Cole won the gold medal with a throw of – the shortest winning throw for 24 years. Despite his Commonwealth title coming at such an early stage of his career, he did not compete at a high level of the sport after that.
