A FORMER Scottish champion runner has died after losing a two-year fight with leukemia.
A FORMER Scottish champion runner has died after losing a two-year fight with leukemia.
Adrian Callan, 44, from Bishopbriggs, was one of only an elite band of Scots to break the four-minute barrier for a mile.
The father-of-three, who won the national 1500m title in 1986 and went on to compete for Shettleston Harriers, continued to take part in events after he was diagnosed with the disease in 2004.
Adrian entered the record books when he became one of only 20 athletes in Scotland to clock under four minutes, recording 3:59.45 in 1985 - he was the last Scot to do so on home soil.
Family, friends and team-mates, from former club Springburn Harriers and Shettleston, were gathering to pay tribute to the runner at a funeral mass in St Matthew's RC Church in Bishopbriggs today.
Adrian was married to Lara and the couple had three daughters, Adelina, Rhian and Nadia. He will be laid to rest at Cadder Cemetery in Bishopbriggs.
A spokesman for Shettleston Harriers described Adrian as "a true gentleman".
He added said: "We can only thank his family for sharing a special person with us.
"Adrian had the unique talents of all great sportsmen, a massive amount of natural ability and the desire to work hard to realise his potential.
"Adrian was one of the best athletes to compete for the club in recent years and his battle against cancer was fought with the same tenacity that made Adrian one of the club's most reliable team competitors.
"A true gentleman who never complained, he will be greatly missed by everyone in Shettleston and Scottish athletics."
Adrian starred for Springburn Harriers in the late 70s and early 80s before establishing himself as one of Scotland's brightest prospects by lifting the Scottish 1500m title in 1986.
Funding problems prevented him from representing his country at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh but he went on to secure a host of national and district titles for his club.
In 1994, he joined Shettleston Harriers and contributed to a record 40 medals. In 1995, Adrian was part of the record-breaking Shettleston team in the Allan Scally Relay and in 1997 was a member of the only Scottish team ever to win the 10K team title at the British Athletic Federation.
After his diagnosis in 2004, he stunned team-mates by competing at the following year's Club Christmas Handicap and a 10km road race in June 2006.
