Duncan Laing
{{Short description|New Zealand swimming coach}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
Andrew James Duncan Laing {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|OBE|size=85%}} (20 June 1933 – 13 September 2008), generally known as Duncan Laing, was a New Zealand swimming coach based in Dunedin. He coached Olympian Danyon Loader, winner of two gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and a silver medal at Barcelona in 1992,{{cite web|url=http://www.swimmingnz.org.nz/about-us/news/another-great-honour-for-duncan-laing-cnzm |title=Another great honour for Duncan Laing, CNZM, OBE |date=6 June 2006 |publisher=Swimming New Zealand |accessdate=5 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023174512/http://www.swimmingnz.org.nz/about-us/news/another-great-honour-for-duncan-laing-cnzm |archivedate=23 October 2007 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/sport/swimming/1629/swimming-plaque-honour-laing039s-legacy|title=Swimming: Plaque in honour of Laing's legacy|last=McMurran|first=Alistair|date=6 March 2008|publisher=Otago Daily Times |accessdate=5 August 2008}} and Philip Rush, current world record holder for the fastest two and three way swim of the English Channel.{{cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/22362/champion-coach-was-inspiration|title=Champion coach was an inspiration|last=Edwards|first=Brent |date=15 September 2008|publisher=Otago Daily Times |accessdate=15 September 2008}}
Early life
Laing was born in New Plymouth and rose to sporting prominence in both swimming and rugby, playing 28 first class matches for Taranaki between 1952-1955. He also picked up numerous swimming titles during the 1940s and was a strong surf life saver, winning the Nelson Shield with the Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club.{{Cite web |title=Sport Taranaki |url=https://www.sporttaranaki.org.nz/sporttaranaki/about-mo-matou/our-history/duncan-laing |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=www.sporttaranaki.org.nz}}
He was working at New Plymouth’s Kawaroa Pool as a volunteer swim coach and had built a home near New Plymouth's Rugby Park in the hope of picking up rugby coaching opportunities but plans changed when he saw an advertisement for a swim coach at Dunedin's Moana Pool.
Dunedin coaching career
He began teaching at Moana Pool in 1966, and over 40 years training in Dunedin included 11 Olympic athletes.{{cite web|url=http://www.timedfinals.com/21092006/swim-coach-duncan-laing-to-have-tumor-surgery/|title=Swim Coach Duncan Laing to have Tumor Surgery|date=21 September 2006|publisher=Timed Finals|accessdate=5 August 2008}} In 2003, Michael Phelps visited New Zealand to train under Laing.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4659289a27895.html|title=How Phelps got his edge in NZ|date=18 August 2008|accessdate=26 October 2008}}
His involvement in rugby continued as he coached senior club rugby teams and was a selector for Otago from 1982 -1985.
Personal life
He married Betty Burgess in 1951, and they had six children, four sons and two daughters (one deceased).Obituary in Dominion Post 18 September 2008 page B3 He also ran the Moana House rehabilitation centre with his wife.
He had since retired from professional coaching, and received treatment in 2006 for melanoma on his leg and a brain tumour.{{cite web |date=22 September 2006 |title=Swimming: Testimonial dinner for iconic coach Laing |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10402476 |accessdate=5 August 2008 |publisher=New Zealand Herald}}He died in Dunedin 13 September 2008 at the age of 75.{{cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/22239/master-coach-duncan-laing-dies|title=Master coach Duncan Laing dies|date=13 September 2008|publisher=Otago Daily Times |accessdate=13 September 2008}}
Awards and honours
Laing was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1993 Queen's Birthday Honours,{{London Gazette
| issue = 53334
| date = 12 June 1993
| page = 38
| supp = 3
}} and a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to sport, in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours.{{cite web |date=5 June 2006 |title=Queen's Birthday Honours: Laing on honours list – again |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=513&ObjectID=10385030 |accessdate=5 August 2008 |publisher=New Zealand Herald}}{{cite web |date=5 June 2006 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2006 |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2006 |accessdate=4 May 2020 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet}}
One of the pools within the Moana Pool complex was renamed the Duncan Laing Pool in November 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/134920/city-swimming-greats-honoured|title=City swimming greats honoured|last=Constantine|first=Ellie|date=5 November 2010|publisher=Otago Daily Times |accessdate=2013-01-10}}
He was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 2005{{Cite web |title=Duncan Laing |url=https://www.nzhalloffame.co.nz/New-Zealand-Sports-Hall-of-Fame-Inductees/L/Duncan-Laing |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame}} and the Taranaki Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.{{Cite web |title=Sport Taranaki |url=https://www.sporttaranaki.org.nz/sporttaranaki/about-mo-matou/our-history/duncan-laing |access-date=2025-06-08 |website=www.sporttaranaki.org.nz}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame}}
- [https://www.sporttaranaki.org.nz/about-mo-matou/our-history/duncan-laing Duncan Laing] at the [https://www.sporttaranaki.org.nz/about-mo-matou/our-history/taranaki-sports-hall-of-fame-1 Taranaki Sports Hall of Fame]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laing, Duncan}}
Category:New Zealand male swimmers
Category:New Zealand swimming coaches
Category:Deaths from cancer in New Zealand
Category:Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Sportspeople from Dunedin
Category:Sportspeople from New Plymouth
Category:21st-century New Zealand people
Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen
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