 Stewart celebrating his victory in the 10,000m final at the 1970 Commonwealth Games | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 22 June 1943 Alexandria, Scotland | |||||||||||
| Died | 31 May 2025 (aged 81) Paisley, Scotland | |||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||
| Weight | 58 kg (128 lb) | |||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
Event | Long distance | |||||||||||
| Club | Shettleston Harriers, Glasgow | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Joseph Laughlin Stewart (22 June 1943 – 31 May 2025) was a Scottish distance runner, and an inductee in the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame and competed for Great Britain in the 10,000 metres at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Biography
[edit]Stewart was born on 22 June 1943 in Alexandria, Vale of Leven, to Jack, a baker, and his wife Greta, who raised him with his sister Elizabeth. He attended Vale of Leven Academy, where his physical education teacher first noticed his running potential. He trained with the local harriers' club of the Vale of Leven, whom he represented in competition until 1968, when he moved to Glasgow and joined the Shettleston Harriers.[1]
Stewart finished third behind Maurice Herriott in the steeplechase event at the 1966 AAA Championships[2] and the following year finished third again but this time in the 6 miles event behind Jürgen Haase and Lajos Mecser at the 1967 AAA Championships but by virtue of being the highest placed British athlete was considered the British 6 miles champion.[3]
Stewart's greatest athletic achievement was competing at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, where he won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres. He defeated Ron Clarke of Australia in the final.[4]
Stewart finished second behind Dave Bedford in the 10,000 metres event at the 1972 AAA Championships[5] and shortly afterwards he represented Great Britain at the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich, in the 10,000 metres event.[6]
Stewart worked as a dental technician for more than 40 years. He died in Paisley on 31 May 2025, at the age of 81.[7][1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Davidson, Jack (6 September 2025). "Scotsman Obituaries: Lachie Stewart, winner of Scotland's first track gold medal at 1970 Commonwealth Games". The Scotsman. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ "Hurdler Dave flies in for Britain". The People. 10 July 1966. Retrieved 9 May 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists". National Union of Track Statisticians. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Lachie Stewart". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
- ^ "AAA Championships (men)". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ^ "Biographical Information". Olympedia. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
- ^ "Scottish distance runner Stewart dies aged 81". BBC. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Lachie Stewart at World Athletics
- Lachie Stewart at Team GB (archive)
- Lachie Stewart at Olympedia
- Joseph Laughlin Stewart at Olympics.com
- Stewart wins gold (video) at the Wayback Machine (archived 11 November 2012)
- Lachie Stewart wins gold medal
- Athletics: New age of the Stewarts
- Lachie Stewart enters Sport's Hall of Fame at the Wayback Machine (archived 19 March 2007)
- Lachie Stewart at the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
Commonwealth Games champions in men's 10,000 metres | |
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| 6 miles (1930–1966) |
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| 10,000 metres (1970–present) |
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