News

18/03/2024 00:00, In Blog / Club Notice Board /

Welsh Athletics is saddened to hear of the passing of Rhondda AC Coach, official, athlete and stalwart Glyn Pugh.

It is with immense sadness we share the news that Glyn Pugh, a stalwart of Rhondda Athletic Club and Welsh Athletics has suddenly passed away on Tuesday 20 February 2024 aged 62.

Glyn’s love for athletics began when he was just 13.  He was spotted at a school event by the Rhondda Athletic Club coach Bill Kingsbury.  Bill told Glyn that he could see the potential in him becoming a great shot putter and in the following few days he turned up for training.  Glyn became an outstanding athlete and he won countless medals at Regional championships, Welsh championships and British Masters Championships. He represented Wales at Junior, Senior and Masters age groups and he was also a former British Masters Hammer Champion.  Bill always insisted that Glyn was the best athlete and competitor he had ever trained – and Bill had coached hundreds of athletes!

When Bill and John Loney (another Rhondda AC coach) passed away, it was the turn of Glyn to step up to the mark and become the next throws coach at the Rhondda club. Glyn certainly did step up to the mark – the medals, championships wins and internationals that he had input to throughout his time at the club are just too many to mention. He was a tremendous coach, a great mentor and selfless with his time. He had a magical way of building people up for competitions and bringing out the best in them – whether it was winning a Welsh Championship or getting a personal best in a league meeting.  He thought the world of his athletes and in turn, each and every one of them thought the world of him too.  

Glyn wasn’t just an athlete and coach at Rhondda AC.  Glyn was also Chairman of the club and he did a tremendous amount of work outside of club hours. He spent hours of his time on phone calls to local councillors and Welsh Athletics to make sure the Rhondda club had the best of everything.  King George Track at Clydach Vale was very much achieved through the time, hard work and persistence of Glyn.  The track will certainly be a lasting legacy on his behalf.

Glyn was a larger than life character and he will be missed by so many.  Over the 50 years that he was competing, he brought so much fun to every competition he took part in.  He will be a huge loss to all of the masters athletes he competed with.  This has been evident from the hundreds of messages received from his fellow competitors across the U.K. since his passing.   

Welsh Athletics has also lost a great field official in Glyn as he would never fail to be present at any track and field competition.  He would literally spend hours on the field at every competition, and just like when he was competing, he would bring fun to every event he officiated at.

Glyn is without doubt one of the Rhondda Athletic Club legends and he will never be forgotten.  He has left the club with so many wonderful memories over the years and will he will be talked about for years to come. Our loss is most definitely Heaven’s gain.

Our thoughts go out to his partner Pauline, step-son Rob and the rest of his family at this very sad time. We do not have details of funeral arrangements at this time, but these will be announced when known.

The funeral of Glyn Pugh will take place on Wednesday the 27th March 2024 at 11.15am.

A celebration of Glyn’s life will be held at Glyntaff Crematorium.  Following the service, there will be a reception at the Penygraig Labour Club.