David Gracie

David Keir Gracie (26 January 1927 – 26 October 2020) was a British hurdler who competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Biography Gracie was born in Bonny Bridge in 1927 and by the mid 1930’s he had moved with his family to Larkhall, South Lanarkshire. David said that he was always interested in running as he was the best at it in school. When the war came along David enlisted in the Royal Marines and served from 1945-1947. At the conclusion of his service, he took up his studies to become a veterinarian and also wanted to rekindle his love of running and in the autumn of 1948, he knocked on the door of local club Larkhall YMCA Harriers and asked if he could join. He was welcomed in with open arms and began his athletic career and a period which he later stated was one of the happiest in his life. and was later confirmed as being picked for the men's 400 metres hurdles in the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games and in doing so he became the first Larkhall YMCA Harrier Olympian athlete.

In the Games Gracie just missed out on making the final when he finished fourth in his semi-final, being given the same time as the man who finished third. Only 6 athletes progressed to the final, and indeed his fourth-place time was better than that of the second-place athlete in the other semi-final. Only a few weeks earlier at the White City in London he had beaten John Holland of New Zealand, who went on to win the bronze medal at Helsinki in 52.2 seconds.