Family members of the late Eric Liddell will take part in a ribbon cutting ceremony on7 September to mark the completion of a refurbished gym at the University of Edinburgh Sport and Exercise Centre in the Pleasance bearing the name of the 1924 Olympic 400 metres champion and Scotland rugby internationalist.
As well as Sue Caton, Eric Liddell’s niece, the official opening will be attended by university students and staff.
Described as “renewed, refreshed and reimagined” the Eric Liddell Gym includes state of the art equipment and a public membership category exists.
Developed in conjunction with Technogym, the cardio equipment now on offer includes 30 new treadmills, 15 cross-trainers, nine exercise bikes and, for the first time, eight stair climbers. Space, which was previously split into two distinct areas, one for cardio and one for fixed weights activities, has been brought together.
A year after the Olympic Games in which Liddell switched events in keeping with religious convictions which precluded him competing on a Sunday he returned to China to do missionary work with his father.
He died of a brain tumour while interred in a Japanese camp during the Second World War.
The experiences of Eric Liddell and team mate Harold Abrahams were portrayed in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire.
Katherine Corbett, Active Health Manager at Edinburgh University, adds: “The refurbishment of the new Eric Liddell Gym will coincide with the beginning of a new awareness drive launched by The Eric Liddell Community, the Eric Liddell 100 campaign, a programme of events and activities to recognise and celebrate the life, sporting and community service achievements of one of Scotland’s iconic figures who was the inaugural inductee into the University of Edinburgh Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
“New digital signage will allow us to share the Eric Liddell story with current and new members to help preserve and celebrate his legacy. “
Mark Munro, Director of Sport and Active Health at Edinburgh University said:
“Sport and activity underpin community life on campus. We believe wellness is about choice, and we want to offer users an abundance of ways to engage with physical activity.”
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