Fergus Murray

Fergus Murray started running with Dundee Hawkhill Harriers in 1960, and while at Dundee High School he won the Scottish Schools mile in 1961 in 4:27. After going to Edinburgh University, Murray won the 1963 Scottish junior cross-country title, and between 1964-66 was the senior champion, winning it barefooted in 1966, when he was also the British Universities´ champion. Between 1964-71 he represented Scotland five times in the International Cross-Country Championships.

Murray also won six Scottish track titles at 10,000 metres, three miles, and six miles, between 1963-69. He broke the Scottish national three-, and six-miles records. Murray was the AAA 10 miles runner-up in 1964 and 1967 to Mel Batty and Ron Hill respectively. Murray made the first of six Great Britain appearances as a last-minute replacement for Mike Wiggs in the match against Finland in 1964 and surprisingly beat Bruce Tulloh to win the 5,000 metres. That win helped Murray secure his place on the GB Tokyo Olympics team, but he could only finish 22nd in the 10,000 metres due to suffering from a heavy cold at the time. He was 70 seconds outside his personal best of 29:10.4, which he set in an international against France at the White City a month before the Tokyo Games.

Although he also competed in the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games, the highlight of Murray´s career on the international stage was at Budapest in 1965 when he won the 5,000 metres bronze medal at the Summer Universiade. By the time the 1972 Olympics came around Murray, a chemistry master at Fettes College boarding school in Edinburgh, had retired from serious competitive running. He retired from teaching in 1995 but continued running as a means of keeping fit.

Personal Best: 10000 – 29:10.4 (1964).