News

30/09/2024 00:00, In Blog /

Welsh Athletics are sad to announce the death Brian Gough, who had been a member of the Pontypridd Roadents Club for many years.

Bernie Jones shared:

Brian had an illustrious running career and came into his own as the Veteran/Masters seen developed. Brian was always amongst the best runners of his age in whatever competition he ran and he competed for Wales on many, many occasions in the British Masters Cross Country international winning individual and team medals on many occasions. Brian last ran for Wales in Aintree in 2019 when he finished 9th in the M65 race despite being 75 years of age.

 

Brian was a multi age group Welsh Championship winner from distances from 5km through to half marathon. Brian was a terrific competitor but more importantly he was a real gentleman who was equally loved by his teammates and his competitors. He will be sadly missed, not only by those in Pontypridd Roadents but also his many team mates from Welsh teams.

Mick McGeoch added:

Brian Gough was one of life's supreme optimists. He was 83 going on 23 and so passionate about running. I didn't see him very often but can well remember his last Cardiff parkrun - 16 April 2022. He came up to me at the start and asked me to help him run faster than 24 minutes. I agreed, but when we started Brian flew off and I didn't see him till the 3 km mark. Naturally by now he had slowed down a bit. I managed to clock 23:55 and Brian ran 24:27 - still good for an 88.14% age grading. This was start of a purple patch where he ran 53:25 at the Caerphilly 10 km on 15 May (UK No:1 M80 for 10 km in 2022) and 33:25 at Rose Inn on 14 June (UK No:2 for 4 miles in 2022). The last time I saw him was when he ran 42:58 at Old Father Time 5 miles on New Years Day 2023 - I think he got the loudest cheer of the day at our presentations.

 

2011 was a great year for Brian. His 1:37:56 gun time at the Cardiff Half Marathon on 16 October ranked him No:1 in the UK at M70 for that distance, and he took the bronze individual medal in the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow on 26 November in atrocious conditions.

 

The earliest results I have found are from 1985 running for Rhymney Valley, and on 20 August 1986 at the Trefil 5 miles, Brian finished 21st in 27:10, one place ahead of a young Club 69 runner called Lee Aherne. I think Brian and Lee would have liked that.

On behalf of Welsh Athletics our sincere condolences to Brian's family and friends.