Tom Kirkwood

Tom Kirkwood finished third in the AAAs shot put in 1904 before going on to win the title in 1906 and 1907. He was runner-up in 1908 to Ireland’s Denis Horgan, when Kirkwood also won his second Scottish title. Both men were selected for the London Olympics and, while Kirkwood was a non-starter, Horgan went on to win the silver medal. Kirkwood was also a good standard hammer thrower, and finished second to Henry Leeke in the 1906 AAAs.

Kirkwood was born in Liverpool, despite his father being from Edinburgh. Tom served as a drum major with the Liverpool Scottish Volunteers at the time of his AAAs successes, however, and was a well-known figure around Liverpool as the front door porter at the Liverpool Town Hall. He did, however, see service in South Africa, at the same time as a fellow 1908 Olympian Wyndham Halswelle. During his time in the Army, Kirkwood won many Regimental athletics trophies, including eight in one day on one occasion. A Scottish international athlete, Kirkwood gave up his amateur status just one month after the London Olympics to join the paid ranks of shot putting.

When he won the 1906 Scottish championship. Kirkwood became the first Scot to put over 45 feet (13.72). He improved the record to 45 ft 8½ in (13.93) later that year and it remained a Scottish record for almost 45 years until James Drummond took it beyond 46 feet (14.02) in 1951