Final hurdle: Scottish Record holder Jack retires after fine 13-year career

Wednesday 10th January 2024

Scotland’s top 400m hurdler Jack Lawrie has announced his retirement from competitive athletics.

The 27-year-old is the Scottish Record holder in the men’s event but has now taken the decision to hang up his spikes.

It comes after 13 years in the sport from Jack and a career which included Scottish titles, GB and NI age group vests and Loughborough appearances.

He set the Record at 50.04 last summer at Chelmsford after having taken it down the previous year, too, in when he ran 50.07 in Austria. At that stage, the Record had been 50.24 and had stood for 21 years.

Everyone at scottishathletics, as governing body, would like to wish Jack best wishes for the future and sure we speak for athletics in Scotland with those sentiments, too.

‘I feel like the time is right now to step away from athletics,’ said Jack, who represented Pitreavie AAC throughout his career and Woodford Green Essex Ladies as his English club.

‘I must admit that physically I still feel good – apart from an Achilles – but I just feel now that other aspects of my life are starting to take more of a priority and I could not commit the required effort into athletics any more.

‘I’m not one for half measures so it became a case of all in or all out.

Jack wins full points for Scotland at the Loughborough International back in May last year (photo by Bobby Gavin)

‘It might sound daft but the career highlights are at a minimum. With every high there seemed to be a disappointment.

‘Perhaps the best example I have is the night I became Scottish National Record holder for 400m hurdles (in June 2022) was great but I still missed a Commonwealth Games qualifying time in that race.

‘However it has been 13 years competing and I’ve enjoyed the journey along the way. My first season at age 14 I raced the 80m hurdles as a first year U15 athlete. My last race was at 27-year-old.

‘I want to thank my coaches overs the years, club folk, volunteers and Officials at events. Also team managers with GB and NI and with Scotland.

‘I’ve always appreciated that kind of support and was really proud to win international vests.’