TRIBUTES have been paid to a long-standing athletics coach who was a “gentleman through and through”.

John Wands, who was 78, passed away at Victoria Hospital on October 4, and his funeral service took place on Wednesday at the Glen Pavilion, with the burial at Culross Cemetery.

Pitreavie AAC, with whom John was a coach and life member, said it was “hard to know how to put into words how everyone is feeling” as he was “such a huge part of our club for so many years”.

In a lifetime supporting running, athletics and the Highland Games, John first appeared on the latter’s competition circuit in the 1960s, going on to win a number of races as a formidable competitor.

He would later become the voice of many such events, and the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association (RSHGA), when he started commentating and also at Scottish athletics championships at Glasgow’s Emirates Stadium.

He started coaching at Pitreavie in the mid-1970s and, assisted by Bill Lindsay, guided generations of athletes to national success, including Clark Murphy, who represented Great Britain in cross-country in 1988; John Newson; Kathryn Pennel; Siobhan Coleman; Emily Nicholson; Zoe Nicholson; Ben Potrykus and Paul Allan, the club’s current president.

Mr Allan said: “John was my first coach when I joined as an 11-year-old. He was always encouraging and wanted the best for everyone.

"He’ll be sadly missed around the place as he’s always been there, seemed to never be a club training night that he wasn’t there.”

John was a Scottish staff coach in the 1990s and took his responsibilities as a coach and mentor very seriously as he nurtured many young athletes to believe in themselves both on and off the track.

A club spokesperson commented: “John remained a well known face on the local athletics scene, attending Pitreavie and Dunfermline Track and Field training sessions throughout his coaching career, and even after illness, attending events and coaching sessions in his regular seat opposite the finish line.

"John was well known for being a gentleman through and through, and as well as having a kind heart.

"He believed sports and exercise were important for a healthy life, as well as for pure competition.

"Among John’s many talents, he also wrote poetry, and enjoyed sharing these pieces and his philosophy on life with his athletics family.

“John will be sorely missed both as a coach, and on a personal basis, by the athletics community.”

The RSHGA said: “Very sad news to hear that John has passed away. John was involved with Highland Games for over 50 years, initially as a runner on the circuit and later as a commentator at many Highland Games and RSHGA awards nights.

"John must have coached hundreds of runners over the years and always encouraged his runners to compete at our events.

"As a commentator, in recent years he was employed by many Highland Games’ all over Scotland, and always had a story to tell the crowd many from overseas, helping to explain the background to the events and to bring it alive.”

Scottish Athletics chair, David Ovens, said: “John was a lovely man, who lived and loved athletics – a great coach and mentor to a huge number of athletes.”

Mourners at John’s funeral were given the opportunity to make a donation in his memory in aid of the ICU ward at Victoria Hospital.