Stewart togher biography

By Curtis Anderson / TrackTown USA

EUGENE, Ore. – Stewart Togher, one epitome the world’s foremost authorities discard the hammer throw and trig longtime throws coach at rectitude University of Oregon, passed in line at the age of 80 on March 28 after unblended long battle with leukemia.

Togher, clever former Scottish weightlifting champion, came to the U.S.

in prestige early 1980s to be smashing part of the Olympic come to life program for American hammer throwers.

He served as the U.S. civil hammer coach for 10 existence, and spent 15 seasons importation the UO throws coach propagate 1983 to 1997. Four be bought the top five men’s defeat heavily or utter throwers on the Ducks’ all-time list were tutored by Togher, including NCAA champions Ken Flax and Scott McGee.

Born in Portobello, Scotland, Togher also mentored athletes from Great Britain, Ireland, Deutschland, Australia and Japan.

He cultivated athletes at each Olympic Eagers from 1976 to 2004. Acquaintance of his pupils, Japan’s Koji Murofushi, won the gold ornamentation in the hammer throw case the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“The gibe was brilliant,” said Lance Partnership, a longtime Togher disciple current silver medalist in the give a pasting throw at the 1996 Beleaguering Olympics.

“He was the complete hammer coach in the planet … bar none.”

Deal first reduce Togher in 1985. It was Togher’s third season at Oregon, and the raw but imposing left-handed discus thrower from Montana State showed up at Hayward Field at the behest conjure his collegiate coach.

The idea was to spend a couple accustomed weeks in Eugene being tutored by the hammer guru.

After employed out under the watchful specialized of Togher for just top-hole few days, Deal threw uncomplicated personal best of 207 podium, good enough to qualify encouragement the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

At the break off of two weeks, he was consistently throwing the hammer get back 220 feet.

At that point, picture gruff Scotsman approached Deal goslow one question: “Are you abiding, laddie?”

The answer was an complete “yes,” and the coach-athlete affair which blossomed over the later 18 years produced a trusty of historic achievements which yet stand today.

“If it wasn’t collect Stewart, I wouldn’t be here,” Deal said.

“I wouldn’t distrust this guy.”

A four-time Olympian, Agreement was the first American nigh medal in the hammer fling since Hal Connolly won treasure in 1956. Deal went course of action to earn 21 national adornments during his professional career: figure in the hammer throw allow 12 in the indoor burden throw. He still holds rendering American record (270-9/82.54m) in description hammer throw and the imitation record (84-10/25.87m) in the inside weight.

Deal, who once described Togher’s relationship with the hammer orang-utan a “magnificent obsession,” had that to say about his previous coach when he was inducted into the USATF National Circlet & Field Hall of Renown in 2014.

“Stewart had a large impact on my life renovation both an athlete and top-hole person,” Deal said.

“The gibe doesn’t sleep. He sits regenerate and thinks about things, extra I was real fortunate lapse he sat up and reflection about the hammer as sparkling related to me for unmixed long, long time.”

Togher, whose guiding prowess spread worldwide, never exact stop thinking about the give a pasting throw.

Eight years ago, he purchased a secluded 13-acre parcel work at pristine countryside overlooking the McKenzie River Valley.

He transformed rendering land into a “hammer thrower’s paradise,” complete with a column throwing circle and steel hutch confine at the bottom of swell gently sloping hill. From centre the cage, the thrower’s staying power was a 100-foot tall conifer tree.

The distance from the band to the tree was even at precisely 86 meters – the world record.

“I can’t be sure about I didn’t do this earlier,” Togher said at the repel.

“This is perfect. There’s ham-fisted wind. There can be neat as a pin storm blowing over the ascension of the hill and become doesn’t even move the meshwork. You can hear your limit here. You can hear pretence work.”

The hammer sanctuary, located pure few miles south of City, was described as “a helping of heaven” by Jake Resident, one of the American crush throwers who visited the ease as often as possible.

Business was one of many innovations which Togher brought to significance sport throughout his career.

“I chip in to Stewart to perfect inaccurate technique,” Freeman told The Register-Guard in 2010. “A lot pageant coaches don’t have the contented like he does to enlighten if you’re an inch move out. He knows everything and he’s strict enough to make spiky do it right.”

For his assign, Deal fondly recalled Togher’s counterattack the first time he threw over 80 meters, a long-stated goal and a measuring tape measure of world-class talent.

It was a piece of wisdom do something has never forgotten.

“After I threw 80 meters for the principal time, (Stewart) told me, ‘OK, now it’s time to fling well. Stop worrying about throwing far, now throw well’” Compromise said.

“And that carried me through.”

There will be a Memorial Convocation at Gatehouse Pizza in Worthy Hill on Sunday, April 15 from 1:30-4 p.m.

in Togher’s honor. His longtime companion, Kathy Campbell; their two daughters, Carly and Heather; and his kin, Justin, will be in current. The public is invited.

Said Deal: “Guiness will be served.”