Donald Dinnie 1837 - 1916

Born in Balnacriag, near Aboyne, Donald Dinnie was a legend of the nineteenth century Highland Games, regarded by many as Scotland's greatest ever athlete. A stonemason by trade, he became a professional athlete in his late twenties, winning his last prize in the Highland Games at the age of 76! Having toured Australia, America and South Africa, Dinnie retired in 1913 after winning eleven thousand prizes and twenty-six thousand pounds in prize money.

Many of his medals are now missing, perhaps having been sold when he fell on hard times towards the end of his life. Some are held in a collection by Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums, the earliest dated 1859 for "heavy" events at Glenisla and Perth, and the latest dated 1884 for Club Swinging in Brisbane, Australia.

His classic "around the head" hammer throwing style, a style of throwing he developed in the 1850s, was adopted by many of his competitors and is still used by toady's games athletes. Adding to Dinnie's fame is an extraordinary event which took place over the River Dee during his teenage years. In assisting his father to repair the Potarch Bridge, near Kincardine O'Neal, Dinnie displayed super human strength by carrying two huge boulders totalling 785lbs in weight across the bridge.

The 'Dinnie Steens' are now legendary. Nobody has ever equalled this amazing feat without the aid of a harness. Although today the games are more diverse, the athletics and weight throwing competitions remain at the heart of the games.

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