Dave Stevenson

Always interested in pole vaulting, David Stevenson practiced jumping over a bar in the back garden of his parents´ home by using a rake as a make-shift pole, until one day they bought him a 12-foot bamboo pole. From that simple start, Stevenson developed into one of the UK´s finest pole vaulters. In a relatively short athletics career, Stevenson competed in the three British Empire and Commonwealth Games between 1962-70. He also went to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, as did his future wife Alix Jamieson.

Stevenson won the AAA indoor title in 1965, having been runner-up in 1962, and following the arrival of Mike Bull was runner-up on three more occasions. Stevenson was also third in the senior AAA Championship in 1964 and 1967. He was the Scottish national champion eight times between 1962-70, and only a leg injury in the 1965 season prevented a run of nine consecutive titles. In addition, Stevenson broke the Scottish national record three times, and when he cleared 4.67 in 1966 the new record stood for 12 years.

Stevenson study at Dumfries Academy before going to the University of Edinburgh from where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce. He later studied chartered accountancy and joined the family firm of woollen dyers started by his father in 1946. Stevenson´s rugby-playing brother Neil was also in the business, which eventually became the Edinburgh Woollen Mill. For the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, the company provided specially made tartan outfits for the Scottish team. The family sold the company in 1997 for a reported £69 million. In 2012 Stevenson was awarded the Freedom of Dumfries and Galloway and later became Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Dumfriesshire.

Personal Best: PV – 4.68 (1968).