Ewan Douglas

Ewan Douglas was educated at Edinburgh’s Fettes College, before obtaining a medical degree from Edinburgh University in 1945. He then became a general practitioner at Penicuick, Midlothian. He stayed in the post until 1962 when he emigrated to Australia, where he continued practising near Melbourne.

Douglas was a fine athlete and rugby player. He was four times the Scottish hammer throw champion in the 1950s, won the AAA title in 1955, and also finished second in 1952 and third in 1948, 1950, 1953 and 1956. He competed in two Olympics (1948 and 1952), represented Scotland in two British Empire and Commonwealth Games (1954 and 1958), and appeared in two European Championships (1950 and 1954). His bronze medal at the 1954 Commonwealths was his only major international medal. He represented Great Britain 18 times, and set three British records; his third one, in 1955 (58.68 m), stood as a Scottish national record for 12 years.

Douglas was also fine rugby wing three-quarter or centre, and played for Edinburgh Wanderers and Academicals, the RAF, Combined Services and represented Scotland in services internationals. After retiring from his medical practice, Douglas lived in France for a while before settling in Spain in the mid-1980s, where he died in 1999.

Personal Best: HT – 58.67 (1955).