It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Sir Peter Heatly on 17 September 2015, aged 91.
Born in Leith, Edinburgh Sir Peter began his career at Portobello Amateur Swimming Club and has been synonymous with diving in Scotland since the 1930s when he became East of Scotland Champion (1937-1939) and Scottish Champion (1946-1958). He went on and represented Scotland around the world, winning British Empire and Commonwealth Games Gold medals for Scotland in the 3m springboard (1954) and 10m high board (1950 and 1958). He was, and still is, the only Scottish athlete (of any sport) to have won a gold medal at three consecutive Commonwealth Games and remains the only Scottish athlete to have won a medal in diving.
After retiring from Diving, Peter turned to a career in Sports Management and acted as Chairman of the Scottish Sports Council (1975-1987),
Chairman of Commonwealth Council for Scotland between 1967 and 1971 and was Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation from 1982 to 1990, including the return of the Games to Edinburgh in 1986.
Peter was twice President of the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association, the 2nd time being for the Centenary Year i
He had a long and proud association with the Commonwealth Games having attended 17 Games from 1950 to 2014, in an official capacity, including athlete, Manager, Organiser, Chair of Commonwealth Games Federation and latterly as Life Vice President. Peter was also Chairman of ASFGB and he was a member of the FINA Diving Committee. n 1988. He was awarded a CBE in 1971 and was knighted in 1990 for his services. The City of Edinburgh made him Deputy Lieutenant in 1984.
Despite his own medal success in the sport of diving, one of Sir Peter’s proudest moments was watching Grandson James compete for Scotland at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.
Maureen Campbell, Chair of Scottish Swimming said: “Sir Peter has been an inspiration to so many people for many, many years. The pride on his face as he watched James compete for Scotland was a joy to see and I am sure that his family, friends and the wider aquatics community, not just in Scotland, but across the Commonwealth will celebrate his life and the legacy he has left with the same enthusiasm that Sir Peter himself brought to the sport.”
Sir Peter was inducted into the Scottish Sport Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Scottish Swimming Hall of Fame in 2010.
Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.
Courtesy of Scottish Swimming