Sad news as Don Macgregor passes away; Scottish Schools letter

Friday 5th June 2020

Photo with thanks to Mark Shearman

Details on Don’s career are charted on scotstats.net

All at scottishathletics and within the sport have been deeply saddened this week to learn of the passing of Don Macgregor, one of our finest endurance athletes. He was 80.

Don was a marathon runner who had top ten finishes at two Commonwealth Games and one Olympics.

His record of 24 marathons under 2:20 is quite remarkable, not least that it includes a 2:17 run at the age of 43.

He won a string of Scottish championship medals and latterly was coaching with Fife AC.

We send our deepest sympathies to the Macgregor family and Don’s many friends in the sport.

*It is our intention to carry a more in-depth tribute on these pages in due course.

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Dear all, Please find a letter to all athletes from our Hon President Sandy Sutherland. We hope everyone is well and stay safe. #scottishschools @scotathletics @AlexanderSuthe5 pic.twitter.com/2rmLpOjv26

— SSAA (@SSAAschools) June 2, 2020

The Scottish Schools Athletics Association have written to pupils to commiserate on them missing out on track and field championships this summer.

Grangemouth had been due to stage the events including the main championship weekend next Friday and Saturday.

SSAA President Sandy Sutherland competed in five championships from 1957 to 1961 and wrote that his ‘heart goes out’ to present day school athletes.

‘I can still remember the excitement as the June dates approached and the long journey south to either Edinburgh or Glasgow approached for an overnight stay before the qualifying rounds,’ said Sandy.

‘It took seven hours by car from Golspie Secondary School to Edinburgh when I first went and that included a trip on the ferry from Fife to Queensferry as there was no Forth Road Bridge back then.

‘Please do no despair – keep training and we look forward to seeing you next year: fitter, faster, stronger and ready for the deluge of records at post-Covid-19 events in 2021.’

Tags: Don Macgregor, Sandy Sutherland, Scottish Schools Athletics Association