Gary’s a world champion... 15 times over!
HE is Scotland’s most decorated athlete with no fewer than 15 world championships.
But even the keenest of sports fans would be forgiven for not recognising Gary Gillespie, the all-conquering king of the somewhat niche sport of tug of war.
The Army veteran joined the Scotland squad in 1999 and has only now decided to retire – at the age of 65.
Mr Gillespie, of East Calder, West Lothian, said: ‘It keeps me healthy. A few people have said I should be younger and not the age I am – I feel 40.
‘I am the oldest to get an indoor gold medal in the sport.’
Mr Gillespie’s swan-song appearance at last month’s Tug of War World Championships in Letterkenny, Ireland, helped the Scotland team edge in front of rivals England in the medals table. The Scottish squad has won 22 gold medals over 21 years – one more than the English team over the same period.
Mr Gillespie said: ‘I haven’t been in the team for all gold medals because of the different weight categories, but I’ve been in a few – probably 15 of them.
‘It’s been great being part of a team that’s been so successful.
‘I’ve competed in the 600kg (1,323lb), 640kg (1,411lb) and 680kg (1,500lb) categories over the years. I look at what I’m eating, I go to the gym and spin classes and saunas.’
Mr Gillespie, who runs the maintenance department of Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University, has travelled the world with the squad. He said: ‘The atmosphere is tremendous, there are teams from all over the world.
‘It’s great standing alongside my team-mates on the podium when we’re getting our medals.’
Team coach Robert Warnock, from Clackmannan, has been involved in winning 16 of the 22 gold medals. He said: ‘That’s an average of more than one a year.
‘I think England have 21 and we’ve got 22 now.
‘We managed to surpass them at the Championships on the last day of the event.’
‘Oldest to get an indoor gold medal’