Heather Stanning’s former PE teacher was among the supporters offering her a warm welcome back to Moray yesterday.
More than 100 well-wishers packed into Lossiemouth Town Hall to celebrate Ms Stanning’s most recent success.
And for RAF Lossiemouth wing commander, Dan Lunnan-Wood, the bash offered the ideal opportunity for a reunion with his former pupil.
Mr Lunnan-Wood taught Ms Stanning while he was a PE teacher at Gordonstoun, and yesterday brought his young children along to meet her.
Both Harry, eight, and Neve, five, avidly supported Ms Stanning during the Olympics.
Neve, who takes gymnastics lessons, has aspirations of emulating Ms Stanning’s achievements on the sporting stage.
She said: “I was really happy when she won, and I asked her what food she eats to stay fit.”
As Ms Stanning arrived at the venue at 3.30pm, children from a nearby stage school pressed their faces against the windows to catch a glimpse of her.
The chairman of Lossiemouth Community Council, Mike Mulholland, said residents had been “absolutely delighted” when Ms Stanning won the women’s pair event with partner Helen Glover in Rio.
Ms Stanning spent more than an hour posing for photographs with fans of all ages, and allowed them to hold aloft the gold medals she won in Rio and London.
Her former Gordonstoun schoolmate, Richard Wormald, now teaches PE at primary schools in Elgin and attended with his family.
His seven-month old daughter, Skye, amused the Olympic champion when she took an interest in her most recently acquired gold medal and placed it in her mouth.
Meanwhile, super-fan Paul Donaldson brought a scrapbook documenting Ms Stanning’s career, which he made as part of a project for St Gerardine’s Primary School.
The nine-year-old received a personalised message saying: “Keep up the hard work and you will win medals in the future”.
The highest honour from Moray Council
Moray Council has bestowed the highest honour it can on Heather Stanning – recognising her “unparalleled achievement” in bringing two Olympic gold medals to the area.
Council convener Allan Wright awarded the athlete the Freedom of Moray, after listing her amazing achievements on the world stage and thanking her for acting as a positive ambassador for the region.
After being presented with a framed scroll officially conferring the honour, a stunned Ms Stanning thanked councillors – who rose to offer her a standing ovation.
Moray Council leader Stewart Cree said the last person deemed worthy of receiving the accolade was Gordon Baxter – the business legend who built the world famous soup empire alongside his wife Ena.
Councillor Cree said: “It is a recognition of unparalleled achievement, and very few people have been granted it.
“In the same way we recognised the incredible contribution Mr Baxter made to our economy, we value what Ms Stanning has done for sport.
“She credited Moray with her success, and we should credit her back.”
There was an unusually upbeat atmosphere at Moray Council’s Elgin headquarters yesterday afternoon as elected members gathered to await the Olympic heroine’s arrival.
After she entered the chambers, wearing a tracksuit and pair of bright orange trainers, a video of her and teammate Helen Glover’s dramatic rowing win in Rio was screened.
Councillor Wright then led elected members in a series of questions about the accomplishment and what lies ahead for the 31-year-old Army major.
Ms Stanning said she remained “undecided” on whether to compete in the Olympic Games in Japan in 2020, and described the pressure of defending the medal she won at the London event in 2012.
Highlands and Islands MSP Douglas Ross said: “The Freedom of Moray is not something which is presented very often, and shows the high regard the council and residents have for Heather.
“She is a great inspiration to athletes young and old and it is right that we pay tribute to her.”
