Hammer throw coach

Born: November 14, 1937;

Died: March 22, 2018

Scot Stewart Togher, who has died in Oregon, US, aged 80, was a universally acclaimed hammer throw coach described by one of his protégés, American Lance Deal, 1996 Olympic silver medallist in the event, as “the world’s best hammer coach bar none.”

Another of his star pupils was the Japanese athlete Kujo Murofushi, hammer gold medallist at the 2004 Olympics, who considered Togher’s input to his success invaluable.

Over the last 30 years or so he coached most of the top American hammer throwers after leaving Scotland in the early 1980s to join the US Olympic Development Programme. Soon after crossing the Atlantic, he was appointed throws coach at the University of Oregon in Eugene, a post he held for 15 years and for most of that period was also National US hammer coach.

Prior to leaving Edinburgh where he was a well-known figure at Meadowbank Stadium, he was already an established coach, tutoring among others Olympic hammer finalist Chris Black, Meg Ritchie, Commonwealth Games discus champion, and several Scottish champions including shot putter Eric Irvine, multi throws expert Paul Buxton and javelin thrower John Guthrie.

His growing reputation led to athletes coming from abroad for the benefit of his expertise and after a fruitful association with American hammer thrower Andy Bissett, the path was paved for his move to the US where the hammer was his speciality. As a coach, he was hugely knowledgeable, innovative, and constantly searching for improvement in his charges but also himself. He had a great eye for the intricacies of the discipline and a talent for communication. Although capable of great charm, he had a steely side to him, a combination that worked well for those he trained.

A Scottish weightlifting champion in his early 20s, he also competed in the throws for Edinburgh Southern Harriers and between 1960 and 1976 appeared four times in the top 10 of the ranking lists. His best event was the hammer, securing a bronze medal in the Scottish Championships in 1972.

Born in Kirkcaldy to Patrick and Muriel, he was the elder brother of twins Justin and Ruth. Justin himself was an accomplished athlete, representing Scotland several times as a sprinter in the 1960s. Their father was a builder and the family was brought up in Edinburgh’s Prestonfield area. Togher attended James Gillespie’s Boys primary school before going to Portobello High School.

A talented youngster, his first claim to fame was as a teenage country dancer being presented to the Queen at the Murrayfield Highland Gathering. An all-round sportsman, he showed promise as a footballer and gymnast before strength events took over. This led to work as a door steward at a number of Edinburgh nightspots where he enjoyed a reputation for being able “to look after himself”.

Despite the “tough guy” persona, in contrast he was also an accomplished pianist. Following two years’ national service at Catterick he began working as a telephone engineer, but did not enjoy it and switched to outdoors work as a landscape gardener. He worked as a groundsman at Edinburgh University and the Royal High School and it was while employed by the university that his interest in the hammer particularly developed through meeting legendary coach Bob Watson, then head groundsman at Craiglockhart field.

After Watson became ill, Togher took over coaching Chris Black and mentored him to a seventh place in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, an outstanding achievement at a time when Eastern Europeans dominated the event.

His coaching took place mostly at Meadowbank where he devised an intense exercise routine, “the Togher Circuit”, popular not only with throwers but also many top sprinters including Allan Wells and George McNeill.

Although lack of formal qualifications hindered progress in the athletics establishment hierarchy, a Sports Coaching Diploma Course in 1978 at Dunfermline PE College eased the way somewhat but it was not till he went to the States he could make coaching his livelihood.

Once there the hammer became “his magnificent obsession” according to Lance Deal, who thought Togher often stayed awake at night devising new coaching drills. Just before clinching his silver medal on his final throw in Atlanta, he was inspired by Togher’s final words to him: “It only takes one throw.”

The Americans he coached resembles a “Who’s Who of hammer throwing”, among them Jud Logan, Ken Flax, and James Parker. Kujo Murofushi spent several days a month with him in Eugene over the year preceding his success, which prompted a Tokyo newspaper to produce a supplement in tribute to Togher’s coaching. As a director of the 2020 Tokyo Games, Murofushi invited him to be his personal guest but sadly that is now not possible.

About 10 years ago the Scot bought several acres of land at Pleasant Hill near Eugene where he built a house with splendid views over a river valley and established a hammer-throwing centre, considered “a hammer thrower’s paradise”.

This venue, which he named “The Sanctuary”, was a magnet for throwers whom Togher delighted in instructing in an idyllic environment and where he lived his dream.

He is survived by sons and daughter Robert, Wendy, Derek and Stewart, from his marriage to Ann which ended in divorce, and by his partner in Oregon, Kathy Campbell and their daughters Carly and Heather.

JACK DAVIDSON.