Lachie Stewart celebrates his 1970 gold medal win at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.
By Bill Heaney
Vale of Leven Athletic Club’s gold medal winning distance runner Lachie Stewart has died, aged 81.
Stewart won 10,000m gold for Scotland at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and represented Great Britain at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Born Joseph Laughlin Stewart in Alexandria in 1943, he worked as a dental mechanic and was an accomplished model maker.
Stewart was inducted to Scottish Athletics’ hall of fame in 2018 and the organisation said: “Everyone at Scottish athletics and within our community sends our thoughts at this sad time to Lachie’s family and his many friends across the sport.”
Scottish Athletics said Stewart died in hospital in the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley after a short illness.
In 2020, at age 77, he had the lower half of his leg amputated after complications with diabetes.
“I had an ulcer between my second and third toe and it didn’t seem to heal too well,” he told BBC Scotland at the time.
“It quickly went from that to the doctor saying I can either live with the pain, which was unbelievable, or we can amputate below the knee. I said to him right away to just take the bottom of the leg off because I just couldn’t stand the pain.
“Sport makes you more determined. I don’t have any hang-ups about losing the leg.”
Stewart is best known for his rousing victory in those Games in Edinburgh 55 years ago, where he kicked past multiple world record-holder Ron Clarke of Australia with 100m to go to clock 28:11.72.
Taking place on the first day of the Games, it set the tone for a great week for the host nation Scotland as further victories included Ian Stewart in the 5000m, Rosemary Stirling in the 800m and Rosemary Payne in the discus.
Running for Vale of Leven AC and Shettleston Harriers, he also won 13 Scottish track titles and twice won the Scottish cross-country title. His first Scottish records came over 3000 metres steeplechase and he went on to set 18 Scottish records between 1966 and 1971 at events ranging from the steeplechase to the one hour race.
Stewart showed talent as a runner in his teenage years in Dunbartonshire and in 1960 he was invited to take part in a coaching scheme for young athletes, but high blood pressure was diagnosed in a preliminary medical examination and he was hospitalised for three weeks and advised to give up running completely.
He ignored the advice and carried on running, though, going on to become one of Scotland’s best-known and admired athletes. Outside the sport he was a dental mechanic for 44 years.
His son, Glen, posted on social media: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lachie Stewart peacefully at the RAH Paisley with family by his side after a short illness.
“Famously known for his victory over 10,000m at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. He also represented Scotland at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, and the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.
“He competed on numerous occasions for Great Britain including over 10,000m at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Mark Slavin wrote: “I saw him win the 10k at the 1970 Commonwealth games in Edinburgh at Meadowbank stadium. The crowd went wild as he passed Ron Clarke in the home straight .Alec Robertson wrote proudly: “I was inside track that day as a 15 year old. We were baggage stewards. Later in life I raced against the great man R.I.P Lachie.”
Ronnie Cowan said: “One of my first sporting heroes. Those commonwealth games made us all believe we could be winners. Those athletes inspired a generation.”
Alastair Robertson asked: “What was his advert on Scottish TV? To a would be athlete – ‘You Can Do Better Than That.”
John Stewart wrote: “He was mainstay of a sporting era that made me join Paisley Harriers and take up running and other sports accumulating in rugby because I was fit as a result.”
I ran with Vale of Leven Harriers late 70s in 80s, joined Dumbarton AAC around 80s. It was a pleasure to train with Lachie in Levengrove Park, he would never walk by without speaking to you. Absolute gentleman