Author: The Author

1986 was a very good year for Scottish athletics in several ways:   Despite the many problems associated with it, the Commonwealth Games was a real highpoint;   some new stars appeared on the international scene, mainly Tom McKean and Liz Lynch, who had been well-known beforehand but who really came good and launched wonderful international championship careers and the ‘Scotland’s Runner’ magazine appeared for the first time.    This magazine that went out of print in 1993 was a great source of information via the results pages obviously but also through the many ‘Upfront’ articles and stories by the editors Alan Campbell, Doug Gillon and Stewart Macintosh with regular contributors Lynda Bain, Fraser Clyne, Bob Holmes, Graeme Smith, Sandy Sutherland, Jim Wilkie and Linda Young.   The photographs were first class and the letters pages gave readers an opportunity to contribute to the debate.   Everyone was interested in and involved with the sport.   It was a real loss when circumstances led to it’s demise.    If you want to read the articles in their entirety or re-visit the magazine, just go to Ron Morrison’s website at

 http://salroadrunningandcrosscountrymedalists.co.uk/Archive/Scotland’s%20Runner/Scotland’s%20Runner.html

It was natural then, that they should cover the Commonwealth Games in more detail and with more insight than the daily press.    I’d like to look at the July to October issues of the magazine and quote from some of the excellent articles on the subject.

The first issue – cover above – was in July 1986 and among many articles of interest was one by Sandy Sutherland entitled ‘The Shoestring Games’, one by Fraser Clyne on marathon selection difficulties and an interview with Tom MacNab about Allan Wells.

Elsewhere on this website I criticise the low number of athletes chosen to represent their country in the Games but there is an interesting item in the ‘Inside Lane’ page written by Alan Campbell.    It reads: “Nobody loves a selector.   Every jogger who ever stumbled blistered and leg weary towards a marathon finish  thinks he or she can do better.   So as the Commonwealth Games selectors brace themselves for the four yearly lashing, let’s set the record straight.   The Scottish team’s original allocation of 33 male and 23 female places is smaller in real terms than in 1970.   There were 35 men in Edinburgh 16 years ago and 21 women.   But since then four events (400m Hurdles, 3000m, 10000m and marathon) have been added to the women’s programme.   This allocation is given by the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland who have consistently refused to increase the figure.   That despite the fact that in overall terms Scotland is a stronger athletic nation now than in 1970 (although it does not mean we will win more than the four gold we took then.)   

Pressure on the selectors to pre-select, especially in the marathon, was intense.    There has to be something wrong with a system that does not get our fastest man on to the start line.       But the selectors, with no room for passengers on a tight ship,  dared not choose any but certain starters.   Allan Wells and Tom McKean are among those over whom serious injury doubts have been raised on the run-in.   The fact remains that a domestic Games remains the cheapest opportunity to blood young talent.   Lack of funds, always the scapegoat when the Commonwealth Games are held overseas, should be less of a consideration now than ever before.   The reality is that in the race to stage the first commercial Games the people who matter most, the competitors, have been left at the post.    National Coach David Lease admits that there are good athletes who will not be in the team.   That is a disgrace.   But it is not the fault of the selectors, or the sponsors and public who have given generously, and who will give more before the curtain goes up on Scotland’s greatest show.”

So the small team was not down to the selectors, but to the Games Council for Scotland.   That doesn’t make it much more palatable.   The shortage of cash with which to run the show was dealt with later in the magazine in the ‘Up Front’ page.  The item read:

“The Commonwealth Games faces a substantial cash crisis after the Government’s snub to a request for financial aid.   Attempts to emulate the success of the Los Angeles Olympics by making the 1986 Edinburgh Games the first to be funded entirely by the private sector and public donations have failed.   A yawning gap of £1.5 million lies between the Commonwealth Games and financial viability, but on June 2nd the Government refused to make any contribution despite the international kudos which could accrue to such a prestigious international event if it works successfully.

After considerable press speculation, Games chairman Kenneth Borthwick conceded at the end of May that only £12.5 million of the required £14 million has been raised and wrote to the Secretary of State, Malcolm Rifkind, to ask the Government to underwrite the loss.    Mr Rifkind turned down the plea and reminded Mr Borthwick that when Edinburgh had bid for the Games, it had been on the basis that there would be no State funding available.   He expressed his confidence that the £14 million target would be achieved.   Games organisers hope that they have correctly detected a coded message between the lines of the Secretary of State’s reply where he asks to be kept informed of the situation.   They harbour hopes that if they fail to clear the £14 million hurdle, some sort of cushion might be provided by Mr Rifkind.

Current sponsors will be approached and asked to consider increasing their contribution and Scots will be asked to make further donations to the public appeal which has had its target adjusted upwards to £2.5 million.   Companies who have declined previous request for support and sponsorship will be contacted again and asked to reconsider.”

A sad and rather undignified situation in which to be placed – and the contribution to the discussion by the Secretary of State not at all sympathetic.    Sandy Sutherland further through the same issue commented in more detail on the financial aspect in an article entitled “The Shoestring Games” which had the opening paragraph: “Sun and gold medals will make the XIII Commonwealth Games shine in a way that no amount of glossy PR will.   And it certainly has not been sunshine and roses for the Games organisers who were faced with some unique problems and a whole new ball game compared to Edinburgh’s so-successful 1970 Games.   Yet the cost-conscious 1986 event may yet prove to have done sport a favour – in the long run.”   and continued (with a large illustration of the new scoreboard  which had been bought second hand from Los Angeles to save money) as follows:

“The 1986 organisers must be praying that we find some new local heroes but with just over a month left before the opening ceremony at Meadowbank, it has to be admitted the portents are not good as over 3000 competitors and officials from up to 50 countries prepare to descend on Edinburgh.   Venues, tickets fund-raising, South African rugby tours, Zola Budd, miniscule Scottish athletics teams – these are just some of the topics which have caused rows in the build-up period.   The projected Scottish team of 23 women and 33 men is a big let-down for the competitors.  

Money however has been the matter which has dominated these first commercial Commonwealth Games.   When Scotland was awarded the Games in 1980 in Moscow it was by default – Scotland’s was the only hat in the ring and that somewhat prematurely, as the bid had originally been intended for 1990 or 1994.   Edinburgh, the reluctant hosts, gave an assurance that no government money would be required to stage the event as no new facilities would need to be built, hence negligible capital expenditure.   But that assurance came back to haunt them,  particularly when   a new Labour administration was elected in the city.   They refused to go ahead with an ambitious project for the velodrome, but in the end however something approaching £400,000 was allocated to dismantling and rebuilding the old cycling venue.   But it is much the same style as in 1970 with new wood, but still open to the elements with all the attendant risks should rain fall during the Games.  

The city have also resurfaced the Meadowbank athletics track and spruced up the old stadium.   A huge new scoreboard dominates the West end (but perhaps not big enough to shut out the awful prevailing wind?) and a photo-finish box in the stand shuts out at least 150 seats.   Improvements totalling £4 million were budgeted for by the city, including some at the Royal Commonwealth pool, venue for the swimming events, and Balgreen, where a lot of bowls will be played and talked about.   But that expenditure pales beside the organisational budget which at the time of writing stands at £14.1 million.   Compared to what it might have been, that is quite small.   The budget in Brisbane in 1982 was £17 million and, allowing for up to 25% increase in competitors, that figure might well have reached £28 million.   Instead that has been halved.   

“That is a fine achievement,” says Robin Parry, managing director of the consortium of accountants, Arthur Young, and publicity agency, Crawford Halls, charged with the task of raising the bulk of the funds, through advertising, sponsorship and licensing and other deals.   Will they achieve their target?

“It’s finely balanced,” says Parry whose group will be fund-raising right up to the Games. “In particular, arena advertising tends to go at the last moment, but we have already definitely raised over £13 million and I’m optimistic  of closing the gap.”   The consortium’s conservative projection, from their various sources, including hospitality suites at the main arenas, is £8.5 million  while the public appeal is expected to raise £1.5 million.   TV rights – £500,000; tickets – £1.1 million; and programme sales, after sales of equipment and other items – £600,000; while £1 million was raised in early sponsorship.    The appeal includes the Lottery, which could prove quite  money spinner, and the “McCommonwealth campaign” which has had a lukewarm response in its initial stages at least.   The Commonwealth Games book and the special £2 coin are two of the items which come under Parry’s remit and are two of the hardest to assess in terms of return.

But tickets look like exceeding their target and, with the main sessions at athletics and swimming sold out within a few days of going on sale for postal applications last September, there could be quite a black market for these.   Part of the problem for the organisers has been that they did not know how many seats were actually going to be available because the stadium capacity had not been settled due to the Popplewell Report on crowd safety and the extra room taken by hospitality units.   It looks as if, despite the extra terracing, the Meadowbank capacity will be approximately 22,000 compared with well over 30,000 in 1970 when scaffolding doubled the norm.   Sadly a priority ticket scheme intended for the real athletics fans, which would have given athletics clubs and others a month’s advantage over the general public, was so mis-handled that the dates merged.   That is just another example of how the people in the sport appear to have been neglected in these Games.   So in the end who will benefit?  

Certainly the Games themselves.   the inflationary spiral which has gone on through Christchurch, 1974, Edmonton, 1978, and Brisbane has been broken, and Edinburgh in particular because of the massive television exposure and the income from tourism (which has been estimated at £50 million).   Certainly sport in general though rowing, back in the Games for the first time since 1958, with new purpose-built facilities at Strathclyde Park, could point to more obvious benefits than swimming or tack and field which have been short-changed on facilities (no warm-up pool or track for example) and competitors.   But short-changed or not, track and field will be the centre-piece and showpiece of the Games, and the making or breaking of them.   And our athletes have destiny in their hands.”

It’s a very interesting article and looking back Sandy’s comments towards the end of the penultimate paragraph about priority ticket schemes, is thought provoking.   In the collection of club memorabilia that I inherited from James P Shields is a letter from the organising committee of the London Olympics of 1948 asking of any of our club members would like tickets for the event.  nearer home, all clubs in Scotland were asked how many tickets they would like, where in the arena they were for and for what events.   Here again is the idea that those who are involved in any sport should have priority in the availability of tickets is mentioned.   It is worse than just a shame that this idea has been abandoned in favour of mass, elbows out, scramble for tickets at Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

For now I will hold back from re-printing Fraser Clyne’s article – sections of it will appear elsewhere soon – on marathon selection but will say that his conclusion was that “the 1986 Commonwealth Games marathon team should have been picked by no later than the end of 1985.”

The above picture features Sandra Whittaker the quite outstanding sprinter, coached by Ian Robertson, who was one of the very best Scottish runners ever.   It is most unfortunate, to put it mildly that she has been virtually ignored in recent years.   A woman who in the Los Angeles Olympics set personal bests in the heats, and in the quarter-final has to be very special.  She is still the only Scotswoman inside 23 seconds for the 200m.    With talents like hers and her training partners and the Edinburgh group of the same period, there should surely be some website with profiles or tributes to our sprinters.   However, in the second issue of “Scotland’s Runner”, the middle pages full-colour spread was an article by Doug Gillon which took a look back at 1970 and had what was called an optimistic look ahead.   But first, in the very first page of the magazine was Alan Campbell’s ‘Inside Lane’ page with the dreaded news that many had anticipated but which no one wanted to hear: the boycott was now on.    The article read:

“On July 9th, the darkest cloud hanging over the success of the Commonwealth Games finally burst over mountainous political pressure.   Nigeria and Ghana announced their withdrawal over Mrs Thatcher’s attitude towards South African sanctions.    Just 24 hours earlier, new Games trouble-shooter, Mr Bryan Cowgill, had felt justified in announcing a record Games entry including a full African participation led by … Nigeria.   Yet no sooner were we digesting the good news in our morning newspapers than our kippers and toast were upset by the boycott announcement.     The news came just in time for Scotland’s Runner’s final deadline for this issue.  we cannot therefore give an in-depth analysis of the ramifications and repercussions.   By the time you read this, any amount of political machinations – ranging from a full Afro-Asian-Caribbean boycott  to  a compromise salvaged from Sir Geoffrey Howe’s seemingly ill-starred trip to Southern Africa will have decided the fate of the Games.   ……

The sanctimonious claptrap mouthed by Mrs Thatcher on the morality of sanctions against South Africa had already turned enough white stomachs – including ours – before Nigeria and Ghana took their precipitous decisions.   In the light of the worsening political climate which dwarf the problems of the Games, a far more delicate hand than Mrs Thatcher is capable of playing was called for if the original boycott threat was to be finessed.   Before returning to the subject of the boycott however let us not pass over the, now admittedly parochial, commercial and administrative problems which have bedevilled this Commonwealth festival from the outset.  

After 18 months of rumour, evasion and a permanent smokescreen of optimism from the Games organisers, the truth emerged.   The Games were on the brink of cancellation; the limited company, Commonwealth Games ’86 Ltd, was in danger if trading illegally, and Scotland would have become an international laughing stock.   Part of the blame must lie in Canning House, the Games HQ, where a bewildering series of some 40 committees was spawned under the muddled leadership of Games chairman Ken Borthwick, a former Conservative Lord Provost of Edinburgh and a newsagent and tobacconist shop proprietor.   Political wrangles with a new left-wing Edinburgh District Council administration did not give confidence that the organisation of the Games was progressing smoothly.    The Government could and should have done much more, but their dogmatic commitment to the market economy blinded ministers to the contribution that a successful Games could bring to the future standing of Scotland and the UK.  

To be fair, it had been made clear at the outset that these would have to be the Commonwealth’s first “Commercial Games,” but when the fund-raising consortium got tantalisingly near the £14 million target it was petty of Malcolm Rifkind. the Secretary of State for Scotland, to refuse to fight in Cabinet for the funds that would have bridged the gap and given his home city and Scotland an unbeatable opportunity to perform on the world stage.   It would have been a very small amount to pay for the potential return in terms of future tourism and commercial interest.

Then the cavalry came riding over the hill.   Robert Maxwell, publisher of Mirror group Newspapers, had (with nothing more binding than a handshake) apparently won control of the Games, unseated Ken Borthwick as chairman, and in the process won himself enormous publicity.   But when the cavalry comes to the   rescue they are supposed to fly in with a life-saving charge, not stand on the hill-top trumpeting for reinforcements which are still some way over the horizon.   In return for his dramatic winning of the Games Maxwell seems to have offered nothing more than a promise to do three things: to campaign vigorously for further injections of commercial money, to explore advertising  and sponsorship opportunities which the Games organisers had missed, and to demand that the Government throws some cash into the pot.

Major sponsors such as Guinness, who have put money rather than hot air, into the Games must wonder whether they have got the full return on their investments when one of the most formidable personal publicity machines in the UK won the top seat so cheaply.   As one Scottish newspaper pointed out, it was as if the annual newspaper ‘silly season’ had started early this year; indeed if it was not for the fact that these indignities are being inflicted on our country and our sport it would be all rather comical.  ….

Returning to the boycott threat, having apportioned blame in all directions for the commercial shambles, we would like to at least applaud the Scottish Commonwealth Games Council for having tried its damnedest to keep the Games intact (and indeed Edinburgh District Council, although their methods at last year’s Dairy Crest Games were less than diplomatic).      The Games Council cannot be held responsible for the selfish attitudes of rugby administrators and players determined to flaunt the Gleneagles agreement on sporting links with South Africa now could they prevent the Daily Mail and the Home Office conspiring to polarise Commonwealth opinion over their handling of the Zola Budd affair.   Whatever the situation on July 24th, Scotland’s Runner can only join sports lovers everywhere in hoping that the merchants and politicians finally got their act together in time to salvage the Games.”  

This is not the entire article but he doesn’t mess around – he says what he thinks: and what he thought was endorsed by most of the Scottish sporting public.   He mentions the Gleneagles Agreement had been signed at Gleneagles in 1977 and discouraged sporting contact with teams from South Africa because of their apartheid policies – read about it at this wikipedia link  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleneagles_Agreement     As far as the boycott of the Games by the African teams is concerned, it was a great deal to do with the Thatcher government’s attitude, Philly.com said frankly in 1986:   “Thatcher is virtually alone in the Commonwealth in arguing that sanctions against South Africa will not work, but in October she persuaded the other heads of Commonwealth governments to appoint a delegation to find ways to open a dialogue between the South African government and black nationalist leaders.”   Despite the agreement, England’s rugby team toured South Africa in 1984 although the Lion’s tour in 1986 was cancelled.   The Edinburgh Games Committee took a very public stand against the English tour but to no avail.  The whole story can be found at  http://www.bl.uk/sportandsociety/exploresocsci/politics/articles/boycotts.pdf .

Doug Gillon’s major article in the middle of the second issue of the magazine.   Starting with a look back at 1970 when Scottish chances of any gold medals were scoffed at (other than McCafferty – if we’re lucky!)   Looking ahead, Peter Matthews (ITV commentator) said we would get two – silver for Parsons in the High Jump and bronze for Liz in the 10000m.    Before looking at the prospects for 1986, he retells the story of an Englishman who wrote off Lachie’s victory over Ron Clarke in the 10000m by saying that a champion should win like a champion – from the front.   Jim Alder came back at him.   “England’s great athletics hero Chris Chataway in his epic duel with Vladimir Kuts had led for 20 yards – the last 20!”   Doug says, in an article that is still worth reading, “There is certainly no lack of ambition.   The American philosophy of ‘First’s first, second’s nowhere!” alternatively expressed by “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” is a sentiment that many home athletes share.   They just are not as obtrusive about it as the Yanks.   But on current ranking, at the time of going to press, the reality is that not one Scot tops the Commonwealth lists in his or her event.   But the impact of national fervour cannot be underestimated.   I believe that Scotland has genuine medal prospects in Tom McKean (800m), Allister Hutton (10000m), John Graham (marathon), Geoff Parsons (High Jump) and the 4 x 400m relay provided the squad can get their act together.   I also believe that the hopes of gold are greater with the women.   Nobody should underestimate the talent of Yvonne Murray in the 1500m and more particularly, the 3000m, of Liz Lynch in the 3000m and 10000m, or of Lorna Irving in the marathon.   And Chris Whittingham has already carved three seconds from her 1500m personal best this year, running in Oslo, where she clocked 4:06.24, a time inside the Games record.

It will hopefully be third time lucky for her family.   Her twin, Evelyn, competed in 1974 at Christchurch, both of them were in Edmonton where Chris placed fourth in the 1500m.   In addition Christine’s husband Mike was edged out of the medals in the 400 metres hurdles in Brisbane.   There are several other events with lesser medal prospects and national and native records will fall regularly.”    The article continues with an appraisal of the Games as a whole.

The magazine contained other articles relevant to the Games – an interview by Bob Holmes with Geoff Parsons (who was to go on to win silver), several items in the Up Front section including one on the Guinness ‘Commonwealth Friendship Scroll’ travelling round the Commonwealth.     

The cover picture of Issue Number Three, September 1986, tells the story!    The men’s 10000m gold medal of 1970 had been equalled by the women’s 10000m gold in 1986.   By the time the magazine hit the streets, the Games were  over but the magic of Liz’s medal was still in the air and the delightful picture on the cover above just summed up everyone’s delight at the result.   Doug was given the two middle pages to ‘Report On The Games’ with another superb photograph of the end of the women’s 200 metres showing the first three in full flight.   Doug wrote:

” …. Jake Young, a teacher at Edinburgh Academy identified the talent of sprinter Jamie Henderson and commendably realised there were people better equipped than he to develop the boy’s potential.   In less than a year under Bob Inglis’s care, Henderson had won gold and bronze at the World Junior Championships and bronze in the Commonwealth Games relay.  

In cold statistics there were many who did not live up to expectation in Edinburgh.   Injury in some cases saw to that.   Janice Neilson never competed at all and Lindsey McDonald appeared to be limping during her warm-up and clearly competed in pain.   Moira McBeath from Thurso who finished seventh in the final of the semi-final of the 400m hurdles is pregnant.   Our three men’s 400m hurdlers all failed to match their best.   Neither  Allister Hutton nor Nat Muir came anywhere near threatening the Scottish native best for 10000m or 5000m which has stood since the 1970 Commonwealth Games, despite having run well inside these marks.   The long jump of 7.51m that gave Dave Walker sixth place in 1970 was one centimetre further than sixth place in 1986; the heptathlon long jump of 6.39m by Moira Walls in 1970 would have won her the bronze medal in the individual event this time; and the Scottish women’s relay squad have still not run any faster than the 45.2 seconds which an Edinburgh Southern Harriers squad achieved to win the WAAA title in 1970.

Worse, the boycott would almost certainly have stopped us from winning at least two of the six medals won.   But athletes can only beat those who turn up on the day.   Sandra Whittaker surpassed expectation in becoming the first Scottish woman ever to win a Commonwealth sprint medal, maintaining her style spectacularly over the final 20 metres when it counted.   The men’s relay squad succeeded against the odds.   Cameron Sharp, nursing himself round with an excruciating back and leg injury after sacrificing his personal aspirations in the 200m to do so.   And George McCallum tore his right hamstring yards before the vital final takeover to Elliott Bunney.

The highlight was of course Liz Lynch’s stunning 10000m victory.   It was a great gamble for the Dundee woman who was ranked top of the 3000m starters.   Had she known the 3000m would have been a straight final, she would have attempted the double.   The girl from Whitfield in Dundee was another who had a  haphazard introduction to the sport.   She went with a group of friends to Dundee Hawkhill Harriers and left almost immediately.   It was only later that she returned.   It was the late Harry Bennett who converted Liz from a 100/200 runner to  a distance athlete before she left to study in the USA at a junior college and then at Alabama.   Yvonne Murray, who settled for bronze but made a brave bid for gold in the 3000m, was spotted playing hockey by her biology teacher, Bill Gentleman.   Tom McKean however has had a more normal progress in the sport, a member of Bellshill YMCA since shortly after his eleventh birthday, and nursed delicately by coach Tommy Boyle.   His silver medal behind Steve Cram was a national record and bettered a native one that had stood to Mike McLean, chairman of the selection committee for the Games since 1970.   Geoff Parsons fell one short of his ambition to win gold but equalled his British outdoor record to do so.  

At this time last year, Jamie Henderson was pulling on an Edinburgh Academy cricket sweater.   The Games were something that would be happening in his native city the following year.   He might buy a ticket or two and go and watch.   Or he might not.   Instead the sweater was resurrected like a prop from the wardrobe room of Chariots of Fire, and Henderson wore it on his way to the starting blocks for the men’s 100m final at Meadowbank last month when he became the youngest man to contest a Commonwealth sprint final since the 17 year old Dan Quarrier struck gold in the capital 16 years before.   Henderson wore it again when he Groge McCallum, Cameron Sharp and Elliott Bunney came out to take the relay bronze.   A year is a short time in athletics, but the progress made by Henderson in that time is perhaps the most heartening thing to emerge from the Commonwealth Games.   And that is not to minimise the stunning success of the delightfully unspoiled Liz Lynch.   For the emergence of the Edinburgh teenager in so short a space of time is proof that the basic natural resource of the sport is flourishing in Scotland.   But we must have more input.   Otherwise these resources will be burned and wasted like a puff of spent tobacco.”

That is most of Doug’s article and it was the only major one in “Scotland’s Runner” that month.    The following month brought an article by John Anderson under the title of “Why Are We So Bad?” and a report by Doug Gillon on another event that certainly affected the Commonwealth Games – the European Championships later that year.

John’s article read:

That’s John’s article and it makes interesting reading.   At the time it was written, Scottish athletics was governed by the SAAA, SWAAA, SCCU and SWCCU – he was one of the first to propose the amalgamation of the four bodies into the Scottish Athletics Federation, and as usual with John, the priority was always the good of the competitors.   A lot of what he has said about competition and clubs away from the central belt has also come to pass.

Fergus, Jim and Donald

(The picture and Donald’s version of the race have been taken from Donald’s excellent biography, “Running My Life” which covers his running career and much more and should be in the library of every Scottish distance runner)

Several of the men in the marathon (there was no women’s marathon in the 1970 Games) have written of their experiences and their build up to the race and they all have a slightly different perspective on how to prepare for such an event – there are many ways up the mountain – and how the race unfolded.   So I will take some extracts from some of these books and place them here – the details of the books will be given so that they can be borrowed from the library or bought from your nearest book seller.   First off the blocks (for a marathon runner?) is Jim Alder’s story from his excellent book, “Marathon and Chips” which was written in collaboration with Arthur McKenzie and published in 1972 by Alder Sports.  Alder had of course won the Empire and Commonwealth Games marathon in Jamaica in 1966 and was the defending champion.   Jim had been selected to be the man who carried the baton into the stadium and present it to Prince Philip at the start of the Games and he tells of that as the start to the marathon experience.   He says, “”Four and a half minutes before we marched onto the field I was whisked into a side door of the stadium and handed a small pile of non-branded sports equipment and told to change pronto.  The teams marched out and my family saw I wasn’t there and passed the comment, ‘He’s missed the parade, typical.’   Once all the teams were lined up I was handed a silver baton and ran out into the stadium.   A tremendous roar went up, the noise was deafening and brought goose bumps to the skin and a lump in my throat.  It was fairytale stuff, on the up again and as I handed the baton over to Prince Philip to officially signify the opening, HRH said with a smile, “Have you run all the way from Canada?”   A marvellous experience and one which very few athletes have experienced and I am proud I was picked.”   Just as well Youngson did not sneak the baton away on its travels in Aberdeen!

On to the race itself.   “On the morning of the marathon I awoke to hear the wind slapping the guide ropes on the flag poles, clanking away.   There was rain early on but the sun came out eventually and the humidity was high.  What had Clayton said?   I was good in bad conditions.   The line up was fantastic, Hill (England), Clayton (Australia), Drayton (Canada), Foster (New Zealand), Adcocks (England), Macgregor (Scotland), Murray (Scotland), Temu (Kenya) and a host of others, possibly one of the best line-ups ever.

Clayton went off too quickly, the pace was suicidal and most of them followed like maniacs.   I settled into ninth place with Hill; Clayton, Drayton and Singh were leading at five miles in a time of 23:45 and all three were on target for a world record.   I was going fast but felt well within myself and once again teamed up with Bill Adcocks, together we forged ahead.   At eight miles, Clayton began to move backwards, we could see he was finished so as we approached – there’s that bugger Clayton – right – one on either side, we nudged him in the sides like a sandwich for shooting his mouth off to the Press – sweet revenge indeed.   At the turning point we were in about fourth place and could see the faces of the others as they passed like ships in the night.   Ron Hill with his shaved head was in phenomenal condition and I knew instinctively he was unbeatable – Drayton was out of it, written all over his face, but the Tanzanian, Stephen, caught up as I turned.   At fifteen miles we caught Drayton as he was looking behind him, once marathon runners do this they are hanging on for survival.   As we passed him, I said to Bill, “Right, it’s silver and bronze.”   But Stephen was still hanging on.   Hill’s time at twenty miles was one hour 37 minutes and mine one hour and 39 minutes.   Stephen was dropped at twenty one miles but by then Don Faircloth had moved into third place to take over from BIll and pressing 150 yards behind.   As if by fate at the twenty one mile marker, Bruce Tulloh was standing cheering exactly as he had been in Jamaica, it was uncanny to see him there, the spirit of fortune.   Two miles to go I died, breathing became hard and head rolling but entry into the stadium and the crowd’s roar lifted me enough to enable me to run in and pick up the silver.”

“The medal ceremony was a moving experience especially seeing Scotland’s flag unfurled, realising it was flying for me once more – and front of my home crowd.   That night I spent with the family at a friend’s, Jack Carcas in Edinburgh.  I couldn’t sleep a wink, running and re-running the race ……………At the village the next day I was treated as top dog.   David Coleman of the BBC approached me in the cafeteria with Clayton for a chat and Derek shook my hand warmly and apologised for his previous behaviour – this was a nice gesture and my estimation of Clayton as a man rose immeasurably.”   (Clayton had said publicly earlier in the build-up to the race that Alder was over-rated and lacked basic speed).

*

Donald Macgregor has run more sub-2:20 marathons than any other Scot, he is known to prepare carefully for every major  marathon in which he takes part and this one was a really big one; he is also known for his racing tactics and ability to ‘think on his feet’.   His account of the race reads as follows:

“As the race day approached I had still not decided what shoes to wear.   The reason was that my previous racing shoes were rather battered and I needed to replace them but had not been able to find a pair that I liked.   Puma had provided red racers rather like the white model that Bill Adcocks had worn when winning the Marathon to Athens race in 2:11, but the soles were too thin, and I had passed them on to Dave Logue who also took size nine and a half.   Gareth came up with the solution by lending me a pair of well-used dark blue suede Adidas racers which I was able to ‘run-in’ to my own specifications over the last three or four days.

‘Race day dawned and, thank goodness, it was not excessively hot,’ as Dunky Wright had said in 1965 in a BBC broadcast about the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic marathon.   That Thursday, 23rd July 1970 was pretty warm, however, and for just about the first time anyone could recall there was practically no  wind on the course.   The prevailing wind was normally from the west but that das wind still.   Dunky’s sentence about the start of the 1932 marathon begins: ‘We set off a a steady six minutes to the mile on our watches.’   The 1970 field did not.   There were only thirty starters but they included several of the world’s greatest marathon exponents, such as the Lancashire-born Aussie Derek Clayton, holder of the world’s best  (2:08:33.2), Jerome Drayton of Canada who had run 2:11:13 in winning at Fukuoka in 1969), Jeff Julian of New Zealand, one of Arthur Lydiard’s original NZ stars, his team-mate Jack Foster, a late starter in running who was now 40, the English trio of Ron Hill, the obsessive Lancastrian, the 21 year old Don Faircloth from Croydon, who had shocked the cognoscenti by winning the ‘Poly’ to qualify for the English team, and Bill Adcocks the outstanding Coventry racer.   Philip Ndoo of Kenya and John Stephens (Tanzania) were the main African challengers, along with Sinkala of Zambia, Rwabu (Uganda) and Dlamini (Swaziland).   Mike Teer and Mike Cranny represented Northern Ireland, Mike Rowland, Dai Davies and Cyril Leigh Wales, while Harnek Singh and YD Birdar started for India.  Ken Grant, a former Dundee Hawkhill Harrier and S Alecio wore the colours of Gibraltar.   Fergus Murray, Jim Alder and I were of course the home favourites.

Jim had been put in a state of incandescent fury by an article in the Sunday Post under the headline ‘It it’s snowing, put your money on Jim.’   The basis for the headline was an interview with Derek Clayton in which the tall Australian had said that if the pace was fast, Jim would not have the class to keep up but that if the race was run in extremely windy . hot or cold   conditions, then and only then would he have a chance.   Naturally Jim resented that suggestion and was determined to hit a fast pace and give Clayton something to think about, or die in the attempt.

The initial pace was well inside five minute miling.   Four runners went through 5 miles in 23:31, those being  Drayton, Clayton, Ndoo and HIll.   Next came Harnek Singh in a very optimistic 23:57, 12 seconds up on Stephen, Alder, Adcocks, Murray and me.   Fergus and I decided that the field was ‘bound to come back’ as the leader Ron Hill was nearly two minutes ahead of us with 47:45.   Unfortunately some of the field had no intention of coming back.  

WE caught a glimpse of Ron Hill soon after the turn as he headed westwards into the sunny afternoon.   He passed 15 miles in 1:12:18, 59 seconds up on Jerome Drayton and 69 ahead of Alder and John Stephen.    Adcocks, Foster, Clayton and Moore made up the leading eight.   However by 20 miles we were seventh and eighth, both Clayton and Drayton having cruised to a halt by the roadside.   Our time was 1:42:02 but we were 41 seconds down on Jack Foster whose pace showed no signs of slowing.   It became a battle of mind over matter, and Fergus gradually drew away from me to finish in seventh place only 22 seconds behind Bill Adcocks.  

Ron Hill, string vest and all, had set a new UK best with 2:09.28, an astonishing performance.   He had to wait  2:36 before Jim Alder crossed the  line in a much improved personal best of 2:12:04.   So much for ‘if it snows, put your money on Jim.’   Don Faircloth was another who recorded a world class time (2:12:19).   Foster (2:14:44), Stephen (2:15:05), Adcocks (2:15:10) and Fergus (2:15:32) paled by comparison, while my 2:16:53, Mike Teer’s 2:17:24, and the other three sub-2:20 clockings of Andy Boychuk (Canada), Mike Rowlands and Cyril Leigh (both Wales) could all be classified as just ‘good.’   Even so, I took satisfaction from a personal best.   Gareth, not long after finishing fourth in the steeplechase final, came out along the road to watch us finishing and was too tired to keep up with his own shoes, as I headed towards the stadium.” 

The third Scot in action in that wonderful race was Edinburgh’s Fergus Murray and here is what he had to say on it in August 2011.

Mt recollections of the marathon generally reflect that I did my best although with hindsight  of modern preparations, perhaps  ?   I am sure others would have similarly reviewed their approach.   The “buzz” on preparation for  marathon racing was an approach advocated by Ron Hill and involved carbohydrate depletion over three days followed by “loading”.   I followed this but found no benefit, indeed, the accompanying tiredness did nothing for confidence!

Training had gone well with a succession of 100 miles plus a week of quality training.   I do note that I did not race on the track in 1970 which was perhaps a mistake as speed/racing had been sacrificed for training.   The race itself was notable for the exceptionally fierce pace right from the start and I never got in contention for the lead.   Caution was perhaps the right approach, as the leaders went through 5 miles in 23:31.   I was two minutes adrift at 10 miles but still reached that point in 49:34 … amply fast enough.   The Games Marathon was also graced with five of the fastest marathon runners of all time, so personal heroics might well have ended up sitting at the road side.   This relatively restrained approach bore fruit as several dropped out or came back through the field.  

Although Don and I ran relatively close together, there was no pact to help each other.   Jim was away up front doing his best to retain his title from Jamaica, coming in a brilliant second.   Don and I ran well coming home ein seventh and eighth in what was, for that era, fast times.   It was a pity that there was no team race as we would have earned silver behind England.  

One interesting feature of the race was some of the scientific work done on the distance runners from lung capacity to fluid loss.   The majority lost some 6 lbs during the race, largely fluid, which is a significant percentage of body weight.   Taking on fluid in those days had nothing like the scientific approach of modern runners.   Indeed, distance runners of that era generally trained with friends and didn’t have the benefit (?) of the current support  ranging from physiotherapy through to psychological.”

*

“A succession of 100 miles plus a week of quality training…” says Fergus.    100 miles a week was the common currency of marathon runners at the time – Lydiard’s book “Run To The Top” with its recommended 10 weeks at 100 miles a week had appeared in 1964 and soon everybody was doing 100 mpw whether their distance was 800m or marathon.    It was the marathon men who made it their own and many went beyond that – for example Roger Matthews of England who had run in Lachie’s 10000m had at one point done 200 mpw as had Jeff Julian the New Zealand marathon runner.    One man who knew all about big miles was Bill Adcocks who had been at the top for some time with an incredible record.    In the twelve months to May 1969 he had run five marathons including a 2:10, a 2:11 and a 2:12 at a time when no other British marathon runner had been inside 2:13.       If we jump to the year of 1970, he won the marathon at Otsu in Japan in 2:13:45 after ten weeks averaging 101.3 miles just fourteen weeks before the Commonwealth race.   He only averaged 94.6 in the ten weeks leading to that one. but there’s a tale to be told.   Having suffered a foot injury he dropped his miles to 70, then 58 and then 50 before taking five days off.    As an indicator of how reluctant the marathon men of the time were to rest up unless totally unavoidable, it’s a fairly good one!    Selected for the Games in mid-June, he recorded in his Diary on 14th June, “Must get some miles in” at the start of a week in which I ran 103 miles despite needing treatment on my foot and back.    A the end of a 126 miles week, I finished second in the Worcester 10 in 50:21 on 27th June – beaten by my club-mate Colin Kirkham.   “Result was a combination of tiredness due to first good week’s training for weeks  and coming up against someone in good form,” I noted in my Diary.   “Not disheartened – a guide to how it’s going.”   The following week I managed 118 miles and a win in the Welwyn Half Marathon, one of only a small number of races over what was a new-fangled distance back then.   Then came 122 miles in the last week before I went up to Edinburgh.   …. The following day, after a 22 mile run – 12 of them on my own – in very warm weather, I travelled up to Edinburgh.   It was a new experience to live in a village environment in the UK, but the Edinburgh University halls of residence were first class.   In fact, all the infrastructure and eating arrangements were excellent.    If only the weather had been as good!   But it was often wet.   And the cool temperatures caused some visiting teams to request that the heating be turned on.   It was a fair request but, as there were no individual controls in each room, it was not to my liking.    I developed a sore throat, for which I was prescribed anti-biotics.   Little did I realise what an effect this could have on my chances!

There is a two word entry in my training diary for Thursday, 23 July 1970: ‘Commonwealth Marathon.’   No more.   No words could adequately describe the helplessness I’d felt in the race.   All the weeks and hundreds of miles of training counted for nothing after that sore throat and those antibiotics.    A struggle into sixth place in 2:15:10 was not catastrophic but it was no reflection of what I felt I could do when I arrived in Edinburgh.   Up the road ahead of me, Ron Hill proved that this was his purple patch with a resounding win in another record time.   The defending champion Jim Alder was second, almost ten minutes faster than his winning time four years earlier in the heat of the West Indies.   England new boy, Don Faircloth won the bronze medal.”  

(The extract is from Bill’s autobiography, “The Road To Athens”   written in 2004, published by amrec69 in Coventry.   Written in collaboration with Trevor Frecknall, with an intro by Cliff Franks (a Scottish cross-country runner from Greenock, it is an excellent book.)

Remember of course that Adcocks was the man who was second to Jim in Jamaica in 1966.    Adcocks was a wonderful runner who trained hard and raced a lot: a first class club runner who proved that you could perform regularly/frequently for your club and still do it at international level.   He was never one for excuses, and one has to feel sorry for him on this occasion.

*

In 1970 Ron Hill was undoubtedly ‘top dog’ in marathon running – Bill Adcocks had filled the role admirably for several years before 1970 and it was not at all clear that he could not stay or get back to that level at all.   You have read already of how, following several misfortunes, he was still in sixth in 2:15!    However Edinburgh 1970 was to be Hill’s and Colin Youngson has taken the following extracts from his book, “Run to the Top”.  Let him set the scene.

“On 20th April, 1970 Ron Hill had made himself favourite for the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games marathon by becoming the first British runner to win the famous Boston marathon (in a pb of 2:10:30.1).   This was to end up the second fastest-time recorded for the marathon that year.   The fastest was run on the 23rd July by the very same athlete.   After a ten-week build-up, running well over 100 miles per week, including several hard repetition sessions, a 20 mile race, a half marathon and an international 10,000m, Ron drove his family up from near Manchester, settled into the Games village, and eight days before the race, started his secret ‘pre-marathon diet’, which involved four days of low carbohydrate and continued training, (on the fourth day  he still ran seven and a half miles twice, despite feeling weak.)   Then he had three days on a high-carbohydrate diet.   On race day, his breakfast featured: “porridge with bags of sugar, poached egg, bacon, brown bread with jam, sweet coffee, multi-vitamin tablet, iron tablet, vitamin C tablet and vitamin E capsule.”   Lunch was at 12:30 pm, “Two slices of brown bread and marmalade.   Salt in orange juice, then orange juice with sugar.”   The start was at 3:50 pm prompt.   Ron had a couple of glucose tablets in the last 40 minutes.

“Bang!   It was like the start of a 1500m race.  No leisurely jog, which sometimes precedes the serious part of a marathon, but a fast drive for the inside lane of the track and immediately Derek Clayton set a rapid pace.   Three of us followed him closely.   The weather was cool but humid.”   At two and a half miles, Ron inspected his rivals.   Jerome Drayton, the leader, was sweating heavily; Clayton looked pale and was not pushing the pace along as he had threatened – in fact he dropped back before long.   After a very fast five miles, the pace dropped slightly and Ron Hill felt more comfortable, running at his optimum level.   He surged up a fairly stiff hill at six miles and realised that Drayton and Ndoo (Kenya) were struggling to hang on.   However, Hill waited for them, since there was a long way to go.    Then at eight miles he decided “the time had come to make my effort.   Any more fooling around and I might make a mistake”.  Drayton dropped first and then Ndoo.  “I powered on, looking five or six yards ahead at the road, occasionally glancing up to get my line, trimming the corners, shortening the line between bends.   I was fully aware, relaxing yet running fast.”

After the turn, Ron tried to look alert to his rivals with a slight smile.    He thought that Drayton, Alder and Adcocks looked uncomfortably close.   “Now I knew the real race was ahead.   The twists and turns on the road up to 15 miles were helpful, I  could see the big clock ahead: 72:18.   It was still fast but it didn’t worry me, I was slicing away at those sub-five minute miles.   The roads had dried now, the clouds were breaking up, the summer sun was shining through, the afternoon was heating up, and with all the water about from the rain, the atmosphere was humid.   Back along the dual carriageway I began to feel the strain of leading.”

Jock Semple, of Boston Marathon fame, cheered him on from the Press bus.   Ron started to feel uncomfortable about sixteen miles: heat, the pace, flies in his eyes.   He felt better after taking his first sponge but refused drinks.   Down the steep hill after Wallyford Toll roundabout, to reach 20 miles in a very fast 1:37:30.   “This was good, it didn’t frighten me, I’d been there before, faster in fact with my 1:36:28 Pemebroke ’20’, but my pursuers were holding me.   They were holding my lead to about 1:20.   Would they now start eating into that lead?”

Withe six miles to go, Ron Hill felt tired and worried but carried on as fast as he could.   His legs felt dead at 22 miles and he hoped he would not disappoint his family by failing.   “I looked forward to the Press bus not far ahead.   How nice it would be just to step on and ride back, then go to a bar and line up a couple of pints of cool, bitter beer, and knock them back.”   Two sponges made him feel better.   “My head raised a little and my stride lengthened.”   Ron’s team-mate, Andy Holden, who had finished fifth in the steeplechase shortly before, cheered him on at 24 miles.

Ron’s final thoughts were as follows: “Let’s get home.   Don’t panic.   Relax.   Nice and easy and you’ve won it.   Thankfully downhill to the stadium.   A sharp right turn, taken carefully, then run out into the bowl of sound and the silent, soft, empty red rubber track.   I didn’t push it.   There was a full lap to go.   There was such a loud cheer that I looked round a couple of time to make sure that I was still safe, then on the back straight I risked a couple of waves at the crowd; down the home straight, and on to the tape with my fist raised high.   ‘Take that, take that!’ I said to  myself.    The thrill of winning was nothing like that I had felt in Athens (when he came through late to win the European championship).   Rather the sentiment I had was of a job completed successfully.   Even the time of 2:08:28 didn’t impress me.   Only slowly over months and years did I become proud of that 2:09.”

Simply the best performances by the leading Scots athlete in each event

(excluding walks and relays)

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To say that, for most people, the high point of the Games came on the first night, seems to say that it was all downhill from there.   But that was not the case.    When Lachie Stewart won the 10000 metres in the rain in front of a capacity 30,000 crowd it really fired the imagination; the cliche is that ‘it set the Games alight’.    Like all cliches, it has a lot of truth in it.   The field had all the class you could want in a race such as this with the reigning Olympic champion, the world record holder and numerous national record holders and title bearers and yet Lachie – whom we all knew, whom almost all the endurance runners present had run with or against, sat beside in dressing rooms or chatted with on the train – had beaten them.   If that was how the Games started what did the whole next week have in store?   It held lots of goodies and ended with the famous one-two in the 5000m on the last day with Ian Stewart and Ian McCafferty defeating the best the Commonwealth had to offer in one of the most fascinating races of all time.   Could McCafferty have won it?   That’s another issue but the point is that, engrossing as that race was, it is still outshone in many people’s minds by Lachie’s run.   The official report says:

“The stimulus of competing in a packed stadium in front of an enthusiastic home crowd was the spur which lifted Scottish Lachie Stewart to a superlative performance in winning the 10000 metres.   The field included world and UK record holders and the reigning Olympic champion N Temu of Kenya.

Jerome Drayton of Canada moved off at a fast pace to take the lead. covering the first 1000 metres in 2:47.6 and 2000m in 5:34.8.   The next five kilometres were run around the 2:50 mark.   In the middle section of the race Northern Ireland’s Derek Graham moved into the lead.   Then at 7000m Ron Clarke moved up and quickened the pace, only Dick Taylor and Lachie Stewart staying with him.   These three kept together with the lead alternating , and with Lachie Stewart sheltering just behind Clarke and Taylor.   In the last lap, Clarke opened a gap on Taylor, but Stewart went with him and coming into the home straight, tore past to win in 28:11.8 to delirious applause from the spectators.   This was Scotland’s first gold medal in any flat race in Commonwealth Games competition.   Clarke took the silver medal in 1.6 seconds behind Stewart and Taylor won the bronze. still well ahead of the rest of the field, in 28:15.4.”

To return to my remarks at the top about this race, despite all the qualities of subsequent races – the marathon was simply outstanding, the 5000m was one of the greatest races ever – this is the one that made most impact because it was not expected.   Lachie was an established international athlete with many successes behind him and some first class time recorded already in Scotland.    It was his home track and the support was wonderful, but still …………………   Scots are great doubters, never sure of anything until the cat is in the bag.    Lachie’s victory changed that for more than just the duration of the Games.   By the end of the Games when Rosemary Stirling won the women’s 800m in the closest of finishes and Stewart and McCafferty had that great shoot-out with Keino, 1500m victor, the ball was already rolling.   We didn’t just hope, we expected.   The impetus had been given by the 10,000 metres victory and the ball gathered speed from there on in.

To complete Lachie’s year, his son Glen was born in December, 1970, and he would go on, like his father, to become a British international athlete and to do the 5000m/10000m double at the Manchester Commonwealth Games – and he too would be first British runner across the line in the 10000m.

If you ask anyone who was there what their memory of the closing ceremony is, they would without any shadow of a doubt, talk of the “guy in a red blazer on a bike”    The teams were supposed to come out in blocks of the competing countries but that soon broke up as the athletes of all sports broke ranks, mixed with each other wand wandered rather than marched round the track, waving at the crowd, taking pictures, blethering to each other and with this huge chap on a tiny trike pedalling along the track and doffing his hat as he cycled past the Royal Box.    The Opening Ceremony had gone off like clockwork and the organisers had planned for the closing ceremony to have the athletes enter in sports groups – all the athletes together, all the swimmers, etc – led by placard bearers identifying the various groups.   However, the Official Report said: “CLOSING CEREMONY.   After the Ceremony of the Flags, it was evident that the remainder of the proceedings will follow the whim of the competitors irrespective of what has been planned by the organisers.   The march-in of competitors grouped in the nine sports  was an experiment which did not quite come off, although the spirit and friendliness generated as tremendous, it can fairly be said that a good time was had by all.”   Even the hearts of the organisers were melted!

If you want to show children or anyone else for that matter the joy of sport, this is your video clip.   Winners, losers, officials, administrators, coaches and even the spectators felt part of something very special.   I have a couple of stories of the Games to illustrate why it was at this Games in particular that the Commonwealth Games became ‘the Friendly Games’.

First there’s Willie Robertson, a very well known Highland Games ‘heavy’ athlete.   He talks about the Kinlochleven Highland Games in 1970.   After deciding to go and throw at these Games he came to the conclusion that it would be good to do some walking in the Highlands at the same time.   So he set off up the West Highland Way and recalls what happened as follows:  “Great weather, made good progress.   I camped at the top of Glencoe and I was flooded out during the night.   It rained non-stop for three days.   I was forced to take bed and breakfast in Kinlochleven and abandon the tent.   Day of the Games, it was still raining.   Realised the whole trip was a mistake.   Then along came a coach with a large part of the Australian track and field team in it.   They were a great set of lads.    A couple took part in the heavy events.    Their chaperon was John Anderson.   Had a great time and cadged a lift home.   The coach passed my home village of Kirkliston.”

And there you have it.   A great coach as a team chaperon: how many international coaches with athletes in the Games would now volunteer to act as a chaperon to a foreign team?    How many would stop the bus to pick up a bedraggled Highland Games athlete?   Will it happen in 2014?

Charles Bannerman in Inverness recalls the day the Commonwealth came to the Inverness Highland Games.   He writes:

“There was an interesting Highland prelude to the 1970 Games when eleven athletics competitors from four Commonwealth countries took part in the Inverness Highland Games on Saturday, 11th July, as part of their preparations for the Meadowbank event.   The appearance was negotiated by the North of Scotland AAA officials including the late Donald Duncan, President of the SAAA in 1957.  

The squad was managed by former 440 yards world record holder Herb McKenley who was then Jamaican team coach.   From Jamaica there were 400m runners Leon Priestley and Eshinan Samuel and high jumpers Yvonne Sanders and Andrea Bruce.   The Canadian contingent consisted of endurance athletes Ray Verney, Andy Boychuk and Dave Ellis along with shot putter Brian Caulfield, while reigning Empire and Commonwealth decathlon champion Royal Wiliiams and hammer thrower Warwick Nicoll represented New Zealand.

Completing the eleven strong squad was Scotland’s own 800m specialist Mike Maclean who returned a time of 3:57.2 in the 1500m to defeat Verney.   Maclean also returned a surprisingly modest and comfortable 52.8 to win the 400m in which the author, who went on to win that event in the 1976 Inverness Games in an equally modest 52.4, was unplaced.  

North distance running legend Alastair Wood moved to the very bottom of his range to take on Canadian opposition in the 5000m where he recorded 14:56 on a grass track whioch had suffered from an extremely wet summer.   He eventually conceded defeat to Boychuk and Ellis who crossed the line together in 14:41.  

The turf was wet enough for Saunders and Bruce not to risk High jumping but they instead contested the 200m which Saunders won in 25.8.  

Nicoll won the wire hammer, the only event of its kind on the North Amateur games circuit at the time, with a throw of 56.29m, nine metres clear of former Scottish internationalist Alex Valentine of Elgin AAC and RNAS LOssiemouth.

However the technical departure to the Scots hammer appears to have got the better of Nicoll who, deprived of the capacity to turn, had to concede defeat to Tony Cohen of Inverness Harriers.

The next day, the NSAAA officials acted as ‘taxi drivers’ to get the athletes back down south where they were due to compete at another meeting over the then customary pre-Games distances of 150, 300 and 600m on the black Rubkor track at Grangemouth.”

That’s just two examples of the unspoiled and spontaneous attitudes of the competitors and home grown athletes.   The spontaneity of the ‘heavies’ competing at Kinlochleven when it wasn’t on their itinerary; indeed the issue of stopping and picking up a guy at the roadside is just people behaving normally.   Charles’s report on the group of eleven going up to Inverness to compete n the grass is of an incident that is probably inconceivable now.   How about inviting a party in 2014 to the Games, Charles???

So far we’ve had comments from Kinlochleven and Inverness about contact with the competitors and officials away from the Games arena, Colin Youngson tells of the Aberdeen involvement in the torch relay.  He says,

Instructions were strict.   At all times runners must obey Police Officers!   White shorts must be worn by all runners and escorts, though club vests may be worn!   Girl Guides may wear uniform!   On our section we saw neither Police, Escorts nor Girl Guides!   The Scottish Association of Boys’ Clubs organised the Relay.   Several formal letters were sent out to ensure that it all went smoothly and to thank us afterwards.   On Wednesday 15th July, 1970, Aberdeen University Amateur Athletic Club runners were assigned a stretch from Holburn Street at Ruthrieston Roadm past Aberdeen City Boundary to Balquharn Dairy, before Boys Brigade, Sea Cadets and Aberdeen AAC carried on to Montrose, en route for Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh on Thursday, 16th July when the Games were to open.  We were to take over at precisely 14:16 hours and maintain seven minute miles for five miles.   Easy!

Someone took eight photos of our participation.   Bob Masson, Ian Hughes (the driver) and I posing in AUAAC gear, displaying a split-new Commonwealth Games kitbag.   Taking over from stern-looking runners from a boxing club, Bob, Mike Partridge and I running along, brandishing the beautiful shining silver baton, a streamlined, stylised thistle.   Staging a hand-over at walking pace.   Me grinning as I dodge up a side-street and pretend to abscond with the baton, unscrew it and steal the Queen’s message.   Mike laughing as he watches me disappear off-route.   More immature giggling as I pass the baton to him.   After the next volunteers took over, the three of us (wearing regulation white shorts) getting our breath back while leaning on Ian’s car.   If only all the relay runners had such fun!  

Right after that, in time to watch nearly all the athletics, Donald Ritchie and I travelled down from Aberdeen on the train and stayed with a former team-mate at the AU Hare and Hounds Club, Paul Binns and his wife Ceri.   They lived in Corstorphine so Donald and I took the bus right across Edinburgh to Meadowbank every day.

I have a first-day cover with the three ‘British Commonwealth Games’ stamps featuring running, swimming and cycling.   My cheap camera took only three action photos of the Commonwealth Games athletics: a distant shot of some race; Mike Bull’s winning  pole vault, and the joyously chaotic closing ceremony, when athletes of all nations mingled and celebrated together.   All the way round the track, spectators could get very close to the action.   Tickets were inexpensive and we could often get into the grandstand.   I do not remember any officious types or security killjoys.

Every day, fresh programmes in booklet form were on sale.   I still have three and must have seen lots of events since the results are handwritten.   Most Scottish fans had the same highlights.   Lachie Stewart’s victory in the 10000 metres (as the last lap bell rang, I just knew that his famous (only in Scotland!) fast finish would ensure a gold medal for his country, although my heart sank for my hero, Ron Clarke, who had achieved so much throughout his career, but was always to be denied first place in a major championship.)   The 5000m: incredible that Kip Keino should be beaten; the wonderful sight of two Scots battling for supremacy (but once again I was secretly supporting the second man, Ian McCafferty- could he not have maintained his sprint rather than, apparently, easing over the line behind the skinhead Anglo-Scot, Ian Stewart, who battled every step of the way to victory?)    The marathon: Ron Hill’s string vest ‘miles’in front, setting a European record, topping the 1970 world rankings and probably running the fastest marathon ever over a properly measured course.  But what I remember most is the head-shaking exhaustion of our Scottish hero, Jim Alder as he struggled for breath and forced himself round the track to salvage a silver medal, while young Don Faircloth of England swiftly pursued him to finish only 15 seconds behind and win bronze.   However, I also possess a copy of ‘Victor’, which was published at the very same time, to read that the winner of the CG Marathon in Edinburgh was actually Alf Tupper, who set a new British record after eating a big bag of chips at half-way!

There were only cheers for every competitor from every corner of the Commonwealth – no insults or booing.   It was friendly, enthusiastic and the greatest of occasions for spectators.   Athletes who were determined to take part and tried to fight through injury received only support and sympathy.   Rainbow memories.   Although I have been a spectator at one European Indoor Athletics Championships (1974 in Gothenburg, Sweden) and three International or World Cross-Country Championships held in Scotland (1969, Clydebank; 1978, Glasgow; 2008, Edinburgh), I have never bothered to travel to the Olympics.   Too much hassle, better on television; and any way, it could never compare to Edinburgh, 1970!   (Mind you, I hope to enjoy Glasgow 2014.)

Thanks for that Colin.   With the story of the involvement of the whole community in the torch relay and the possibility of getting good tickets not too expensively, the whole country was actually seriously involved in the event without the excessive hype that spoils so many big athletics events nowadays!

The next contribution is from Graham MacDonald of Pitreavie.    He has three good tales which illustrate the friendliness and camaraderie of the occasion – Edinburgh 1970 was where the title of ‘The Friendly Games’ started.   Three distinct stories.

1.   I was working in the South East at the time of the Games and came up with friends from the club I was with down there, Epsom and Ewell.   Two Epsom members were competing in the Games: Barbara Corbett for England (100mH) and Hilary Davies for Wales (100m).   At the end of day two (Saturday, 18th July), still walking on air having just seen Lachie win the gold medal at 10000m, we went up to the athletes’ village at Pollock Halls to try to make contact with our Epsom team-mates.   We went over to the pub across the road called appropriately “The Gold Medal” – not sure if it’s still called that.   I couldn’t believe my luck because there, surrounded by most of the Scottish team, was the man of the moment himself – Lachie – with the gold medal round his neck.   I was able to congratulate him personally – a magic moment.

2.   Monday 20th July was a rest day for the Games athletics but it was the traditional date for Burntisland Highland Games in Fife.   This was an opportunity to take my English friends to see a Scottish Highland Games so off we went.   No sooner had we arrived when I recognised the familiar figure of Tom McNab making his way round the track followed by quite a number of the English team wearing their English track suits.   Tom was a coach to the English team so he had the same idea and brought them over to see a Highland Games.   They sat round the edge of the grass track to watch while I saw Tom going over to the officials table.   This was followed by an announcement that there was an additional entrant on the 200m handicap, a Mr T McNab.   Tom had persuaded the officials to let him enter.    

He had what looked to me like a generous handicap ahead of the field, but after the gun went off, he was overtaken, one by one, by all the other sprinters to the jeers of the English team.   Then Tony Wadhams, one of their triple jumpers, decided he would have a go at the caber which was lying just inside the track.   He couldn’t get it off the ground – to much cheering from the spectators.

3.   On teh Tuesday evening of the Games, 22nd July, I went along to the track in Pitreavie – normal club night – to meet up with my Pitreavie club mates.   At that time there were two long jump pits – one along the side of the home straight, the second near the start of the 200m with its runway across the field.   From a distance, I could see that there was a girl training on the second runway and even from where I was it was obvious that she was a class athlete.   As it turned out, that was an understatement because as I made my way over to the long jump area, I began to recognise her – it was Sheila Sherwood, Olympic LJ Silver Medallist from 1968.   I had sat up most of the night during the Mexico Games watching her win that medal and here she was training at Pitreavie!!!   I couldn’t believe my eyes and no one else had recognised her.   She had wanted to get away from the hullabaloo of the Games in Edinburgh to do some preparation in peace.   She was very complimentary about the Pitreavie track.   Two days later I watched her win the Commonwealth LJ gold with a jump of 6.73m – a distance which would have won this year’s (2011) UK Championships.   I did feel a little bit of pride that she had done some of her final preparation at my home track.

Graham himself was a talented triple jumper who had been injured for a big chunk of the year – Tom McNab was also a triple jumper which was probably why he recognised him at Burntisland!    Three nice examples of an age in athletics that seems to be unfortunately gone – but is a time that should never be forgotten.    All the stories on this page would have been heart-warming even if the Games themselves had not been of a high standard but add them to the very high-quality performances and it is clear why the 1970 Commonwealth Games were special.

There was one poster on the Unofficial SAL website who recounted that as a dancer in the opening ceremony, she had a pass for the athletes village and remembers playing table tennis with the Kenyans, and even partnering Kip Keino to make up a doubles team.   Again the wonderful atmosphere was reported – everyone that you talk to about the Games starts with a smile and talks about the informality and sociability of the event as much as about the sports – which were in themselves outstanding.

Ian Stewart leads Ian McCafferty over the line with Kip Keino third

Of all the races in the 1970 Games, the one that raises the same talking point time and time again is the 5000 metres.    The question is, “Could Ian McCafferty have won it in the finishing straight and did he just settle for second?”   Every time I see it, I still think that it doesn’t matter what happened last time, THIS TIME he’s going to make it!   McCafferty was as well known in Scotland as Lachie Stewart was, he ran in the same races – Scottish Championships, cross-country races, open road races, highland games two mile team races, etc – used the same changing rooms and although, immensely talented as few are, he was one of us.    Each of them, Lachie and Ian, looked back in the home straight but each look back was different.   Lachie looked back over his shoulder to check that he was clear, then had a wee smile and ran on through the tape; Stewart and McCafferty were well clear of Keino, McCafferty was closing on Stewart with every stride, when McCafferty looked back to see where Keino was, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and settle for second.   You can see it on youtube – check for yourself.    And Lachie Stewart was also in this race – he finished eleventh in 13:51.8 to complete an excellent week.   The official report on the race, held on 25th July, reads:

“The 5000 Metres provided a story-book finish on the last day of the Games.   There were 34 runners who had bettered 14 minutes at one time or another, and eleven of those qualified for the final.   The only notable non-qualifier was Dave Ellis of Canada whose personal best was 13:44.2.  

The race started rather slowly. with A Rushmer and Ian McCafferty taking the lead reluctantly for a cautious first lap in 70.8 seconds.   After the first lap, Dick Taylor took the lead, immediately followed by the two Scots, Ian Stewart and Ian McCafferty.   These positions were held until six and a half laps had been completed, when Kip Keino and Ron Clarke moved into the leading group.   With 900 metres to go, McCafferty jumped into the lead as the pace increased to a lap in 63.6 seconds.   Taylor dropped back, and Ian Stewart took the lead followed by Keino.

The three battled furiously around the last lap.   McCafferty overtook Keino and looked as if he would pass Stewart, but the European Champion gritted his teeth and hung on to his lead to take the gold medal in 13:22.8, a European, Games, UK All-Comers and National record.   McCafferty took the silver in 13:23.4 and Keino the bronze in 13:27.6.   Only Ron Clarke has ever run a faster 5000 metres.   Allan Rushmer of England nosed out the flagging Ron Clarke to finish fourth.   Ron Clarke and Dick Taylor deserve full marks for their courageous effort, and it was unfortunate that they had to be left out of the medals.”

There had been two heats with a total of 27 runners taking part but I will limit the result here to the final in which there were fourteen competitors.   All three Scots qualified for the final plus three Englishmen, two Kenyans, two New Zealanders and one each from Australia, Canada, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For many the 1970 Commonwealth Games was one of the highlights of their entire lives watching athletics in Scotland.    For endurance buffs in particular with Lachie on the first night, and then Rosemary Stirling in the 800m and the three marathon men doing so well and ending with McCafferty and Ian Stewart on the last day it was a Games to be savoured.    Before going on to cover the Games, This is Colin Youngson’s ‘preface’ to the actual proceedings: his story of how he carried the baton with the Queen’s message.

NINTH COMMONWEALTH GAMES – QUEEN’S MESSAGE RELAY

Instructions were strict. At all times runners must obey Police Officers! White shorts must be worn by all runners and escorts, though club vests may be worn! Girl Guides may wear uniform! On our section, we saw neither Police, Escorts nor Girl Guides!

The Scottish Association of Boys’ Clubs organised the relay. Several formal letters were sent out to ensure it all went smoothly and to thank us afterwards. On Wednesday 15^th July 1970, Aberdeen University Amateur Athletic Club runners were assigned a stretch from Holburn Street at Ruthrieston Road, past Aberdeen City Boundary to Balquharn Dairy, before Boys’ Brigade, Sea Cadets and Aberdeen AAC carried on to Montrose, en route for Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh on Thursday the 16^th of July, when the Games were to open.

 We were to take over at precisely 14.16 hours and maintain seven-minute miles for five miles. Easy!

 Someone took eight photos of our participation. Bob Masson, Ian Hughes (the driver) and I posing in AUAAC gear, displaying a split-new Commonwealth Games kitbag. Taking over from stern-looking runners from a boxing club. Bob, Mike Partridge and I running along, brandishing the beautiful shining silver baton, a streamlined stylised thistle. Staging a hand-over at walking pace. Me grinning as I dodge up a side-street and pretend to abscond with the baton, unscrew it and steal the Queen’s message. Mike laughing as he watches me disappear off-route. More immature giggling as I pass the baton to him. After the next volunteers took over, the three of us (wearing regulation white shorts) getting our breath back while leaning on Ian’s car. If only all the relay runners had such fun!

 Right after that, in time to watch nearly all the athletics, Donald Ritchie and I travelled down from Aberdeen on the train and stayed with a former team-mate in the AU Hare & Hounds Club, Paul Binns, and his wife Ceri. They lived in Corstorphine, so Donald and I took the bus right across the Edinburgh to Meadowbank every day.

 I have a first-day cover with the three ‘British Commonwealth Games’ stamps, featuring running, swimming and cycling. My cheap camera took only three action photos of the Commonwealth Games athletics: a distant shot of some race; Mike Bull’s winning pole vault; and the joyously chaotic closing ceremony, when athletes of all nations mingled and celebrated together. All the way round the track, spectators could get very close to the action. Tickets were inexpensive and we could often get into the grandstand. I do not remember any officious types or security killjoys.

Every day, fresh programmes in booklet form were on sale. I still have three and must have seen lots of events, since the results are handwritten. Most Scottish fans had the same highlights. Lachie Stewart’s victory in the 10,000 metres (as the last lap bell rang, I just knew that his famous (only in Scotland!) fast finish would ensure a gold medal for his country, although my heart sank for my hero Ron Clarke, who had achieved so much throughout his career, but was always to be denied first place in a major championship.) The 5000m: incredible that Kip Keino should be beaten; the wonderful sight of two Scots battling for supremacy (but once again, I was secretly supporting the second man, Ian McCafferty – could he not have maintained his sprint rather than, apparently, easing over the line behind the skinhead Anglo-Scot, Ian Stewart, who battled every step of the way to victory?) The marathon: Ron Hill’s white string vest ‘miles’ in front, setting a European Record, topping the 1970 world rankings and probably running the fastest marathon ever, over a properly-measured course. But what I remember most is the head-shaking exhaustion of our Scottish hero, defending champion Jim Alder, as he struggled for breath and forced himself round the track to salvage a silver medal, while young Don Faircloth of England swiftly pursued him to finish only fifteen seconds behind and win bronze. However I also possess a copy of ‘The Victor’, which was published at the very same time, to read that the winner of the CG marathon in Edinburgh was actually Alf Tupper, who set a new British record after eating a big bag of chips at half-way!

 There were only cheers for every competitor from every corner of the Commonwealth – no insults or booing. It was friendly, enthusiastic and the greatest of occasions for spectators. Athletes who were determined to take part and tried to fight through injury received only support and sympathy. Rainbow memories. Although I have been a spectator at one European Indoor Athletics Championship (1974, in Gothenburg, Sweden) and the three International or World Cross-Country Championships held in Scotland (1969, Clydebank; 1978 Glasgow; and 2008 Edinburgh) I have never bothered to travel to the Olympics. Too much hassle; better on television; and anyway, it could never compare to Edinburgh 1970!

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The Venue

The Ninth British Commonwealth Games was almost certainly the best athletics event ever held in Scotland: the Glasgow Games in 2014 were almost as good.  There is a tendency to what has been called ‘the snobbery of chronology’ in sport: ie something is better because it is newer, or because we have seen it.   Note the preponderance of players from the last 20 years in ‘the best ever Scottish football team’ selections used to fill a quiet day at the sports desk.   But I would suggest that despite the increased coverage, the social media comments and immediate updates, despite even the Proclaimers best efforts, the Games of 1970 was the best ever sports tournament in Scotland.   

   Several of the best ever races are still remembered – from  Lachie’s 10000 metres on the opening night and the Ian Stewart/Ian McCafferty duel on the final afternoon, it was an altogether wonderful Games.   Some of the memories and successes should really be recorded and not forgotten.   The lay out here will be, facts and figures on this page, results, selected reports, personal memories and everything else to be accessed from the Navigation Bar which will be at the bottom of the page.  This will be in place in a couple of days.  Countries and Competitors on this page first.

First, the countries taking part.

It is thought by some that the Commonwealths is a small event – maybe in comparison to the Olympics but ‘small’ is not the word.   Forty four countries received invitations from Scotland as the host country.

Of these, two did not send a team: British Honduras and Brunei.

Track and Field Facilities

The Official History of the IXth British Commonwealth Games (compiled and edited by Willie Carmichael and M McIntyre Hood) had this to say:     “In regard to track and field athletics, it was early obvious that unless the Corporation were to implement a long-term programme of civic recreation facilities which incorporated facilities of an international standard, facilities were not suitable.   Edinburgh Corporation in 1960 drew up plans for conversion of Meadowbank to a sports centre, and eventually, after consultation with the Scottish Sports Council and other bodies, and debate, and assisted by a Government grant of £750,000 they built a superb sports complex at Meadowbank which incorporated a track and field stadium of modern design, and international proportions with a permanent seating capacity of 15,000 which was augmented by 15,000 temporary seats for the Games and an eight-lane tartan track.   In addition, three large sports halls to provide facilities for a wide range of sports were built on the same site., whereon eventually a 250 metre, 44 degree-angled African hardwood cycle track was also built.”

The Games Logo

This Games logo was the first ever logo designed for a Commonwealth Games, it was the first Games to be designated the Commonwealth Games (previously the Empire Games), the first time metric units were used rather than Imperial and the first time they had been held in Scotland.   They had been awarded to Scotland at the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 where Scotland got 18 votes and Christchurch, New Zealand, got 11.

Plans were originally laid for 1500 competitors and officials and this had to be upgraded to 1800 with organisation of catering, accommodation, health and injury problems and so on increased proportionately.   The Scottish athletics party totalled 58 athletes and officials and they are listed below

The athletics party of 58 had only four non-competitors each of whom was an essential part of the team.   An athlete:official ratio of 53:4 is remarkable by present day standards.   The total number of athletes taking part was 545, made up of 408 men and 137 women.   There were no women entered from Antigua, Barbados, Bermuda, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jersey, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Isle of Man, Pakistan, Papua and New Guinea, St Lucia or St Vincent.

It was also in total the biggest number of athletes ever to contest the Empire/Commonwealth Games: 386 more individuals and seven more countries than Cardiff in 1958.

Edinburgh 1970 had more countries sending more athletes than ever before.   The venues were built in good time with some assistance from the Government.   The various sports sent ticket application forms to their constituent members before they went on sale to the public and some sessions had lower rates for school parties and for other groups such as wheelchair users.    The Scottish team was comprehensive – no officials saying that no athlete ‘would be taken along for the ride.’   The squad was really athlete-heavy and non-competitors light.   Everyone in Scotland knew someone, or knew of some one local who was in the team.   It was bound to be a popular event.

The team had  a mascot – a big teddy bear dressed in Scottish kit and called Dunky Dick – Dunky for Dunky Wright and Dick for Frank Dick.   It was rushed out whenever a Scottish performance was to be celebrated – on the first night when Lachie won, Rosemary Stirling ran on to the track at the finish and presented it to him and had to show it off to the crowd as he carried it.    A great, light hearted mascot and much to be preferred to the dreadful humans in bear-suits that we get nowadays”

[ Some Photographs ] [ Promotional Booklet ] [ Some of Lachie Stewart’s Photographs ] [ Colin’s Preface ] [ Men’s 10,000 ] [ Men’s 5000 ] [ Marathon ] [ The Friendly Games ] [ Scottish Best Performances ]