PADDY Wallace, one of Gwent’s best known and most popular sportsmen, has died at the age of 85.

Born in Ireland, but living in Newbridge for most of his life, he was well known in athletics and rugby circles, but also played hockey and golf.

He was Newbridge Rugby Club’s physiotherapist and trainer for over 20 years while he was also physio for former world boxing champion Joe Calzaghe and Olympic Games 400m runner Jamie Baulch.

Athletics was his major competitive sport. He was a lifelong member of Newport Harriers, joining them after leaving the Army, and he ran for Wales in three international cross-country championships between 1949-1951.

It was an event which preceded the world championships and the last of his three races took place on the old Caerleon Racecourse.

In the same year he came third in the Welsh six-mile track championships which was his best performance.

And in 1958 he ran a leg of the Queen’s message relay for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. After that, at the age of 51, he set a new record in the British Veterans 1500 metres for that age group.

“That gave him a tremendous amount of pleasure,” recalled fellow lifelong Newport Harrier Ivor Adams. And 90% of the time he ran barefoot, he would often run around with a sweeping brush to get all the rubbish off the pathways.

“He was a good guy, full of fun and always game for a laugh. He was my nemesis, a good runner and very popular,” said Adams.

Dennis Perrott, the former Newport rugby wing who played in the victory over the All Blacks in 1963 and himself a prominent athlete, also running a leg with the Queen’s message for the Commonwealth Games, has good reason to remember Paddy Wallace.

“My association with him goes back a long time in the Welsh and county championships when I was an 18-year-old and Paddy was something of a veteran,” he said.

Perrott is secretary of the Newbridge and Abercarn Rotary Club and in 1988 Wallace suggested a half marathon and fun run.

“We took up his idea and he organised the event for five years, raising thousands of pounds for charity,” he said.

“He was a great character and you’d always see him running around Newbridge, he was a great distance runner.”

He spent more than 20 years with Newbridge RFC when Paul Turner, current coach of Newport Gwent Dragons, was in his prime.

“Paddy was a good man, a true man of Gwent who had real sporting values. He was a well known athlete and he joined the rugby club helping out with the fitness and the physiotherapy,” said Turner.

“He was part of the backroom staff in the old amateur days and was very good value, he always had a good word to say for everyone.”

Wallace also played hockey for Newport and made one appearance for Wales. In later years he took up golf as well and was a member of Greenmeadow Golf Club Veterans Society.

The funeral was at the Gwent Crematorium at midday today followed by a reception at Greenmeadow Golf Club. He leaves two daughters, Helen and Catherine.