Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Crawford William Fairbrother |
Born | (1936-12-01)1 December 1936 Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
Died | 23 November 1986(1986-11-23) (aged 49) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland |
Alma mater | John Neilson Institution |
Occupation | Meteorologist |
Years active | 1958 –1970 |
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) |
Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) |
Sport | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sport | Athletics |
Event | High jump |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
Crawford William Fairbrother MBE (1 December 1936 – 23 November 1986) was a Scottish high jumper. Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, his father was Scottish Athletics Championship medallist in high jump in the 1920s and 1930s.
Fairbrother won a record 13 successive Scottish titles in the high jump from 1957 to 1969, the best post-war championship record by any Scot. He also won the AAA Championship titles in 1959, 1961 and 1964.
Fairbrother first competed internationally at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales. Representing Scotland, he finished in seventh place in the final of the high jump with a jump of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m). One month later at the 1958 European Athletics Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, Fairbrother, representing Great Britain in the high jump, finished tenth in the final clearing 6 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1.99 m). At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Fairbrother failed to make the qualifying height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in the high jump. Two years later at the 1962 European Athletics Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Fairbrother in the high jump cleared 6 ft 6+3⁄4 in (2.00 m). Two months later at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, Fairbrother finished eighth in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m). At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, Fairbrother recorded his best international result finishing fourth in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m). At his final international meet, the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Fairbrother took the oath of behalf of the competitors at the opening ceremony. The following day in the high jump, Fairbrother failed to make the final.
He represented Britain on a record 53 occasions and placed in the top three 35 times. He cleared the height of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) on more than 200 occasions. He set three United Kingdom and five Scottish records, the best being 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) set in September 1964, a mark which stood until 1975.
Fairbrother died on 23 November 1986 in his hometown Paisley, eight days short of his 50th birthday. He survived by his wife Rena, daughter Karen and son Kenneth. A service was held on 26 November 1986 at St. John's Church, Paisley and he was cremated during a private service.
References
- ^ "Profile of Crawford Fairbrother". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ Gillon, Doug (24 November 1986). "Crawford Fairbrother: a hard man to beat". Glasgow Herald. George Outram & Co. p. 10.
- "Fairbrother's record of achieve". Glasgow Herald. George Outram & Co. 3 February 1970. p. 6.
- "Results of the men's high jump at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- "Stockholm Results". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. 25 August 1958. p. 4.
- Our Athletics Correspondent (17 September 1962). "Unexpected Marathon Win For Britain". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. p. 3.
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has generic name (help) - "Results of the men's high jump at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- "Results of the men's high jump at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- "Results of the men's high jump at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- 1936 births
- 1986 deaths
- Sportspeople from Paisley, Renfrewshire
- Scottish male high jumpers
- British male high jumpers
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- Olympic athletes for Great Britain
- Commonwealth Games competitors for Scotland
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games
- 20th-century Scottish sportsmen