{{Short description|Scottish squash player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Use British English|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox squash player | name = Harry Leitch | image = | caption = | nationality = British (Scottish) | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1985|2|14}} | birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = | turnedpro = | retired = | plays = | coach = | racquet = | website = | event = | years_active = | highest_ranking = | date_of_current_ranking = | titles = | medaltemplates = }} '''Harry Leitch''' (born 14 February 1985) is a stem cell biologist and a former Scottish international squash player who competed at three Commonwealth Games.<ref name="leitch1">{{cite web|url=http://cgcs.org.uk/Athletes/AthleteProfile.aspx?print=&id=2114&mode=bio&ContactID=29716|title=Harry Leitch's Scotland National Team Profile|year=2008|publisher=2008 Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland|accessdate=14 October 2010}}{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Squash career== Having trained at the Heriot-Watt Squash Academy and the East of Scotland Institute of Sport, Leitch became Scotland's number one junior in 2002.<ref name="leitch2">{{cite web|url=http://www.sport.cam.ac.uk/news/squash-commonwealthgames.html|title=Harry Leitch selected for Commonwealth Games|year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Sports Department|accessdate=14 October 2010}}</ref>

He made his debut for the Scottish senior team in 2003 and has since made over 60 international appearances.<ref name="leitch2"/> He competed at the European Championships, the World Championships and represented the Scottish team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/4662668.stm |title=Scotland Commonwealth Games squad |website=BBC Sport|date=7 February 2006 |access-date=25 April 2026}}</ref> where he, and partner John White, were knocked out (8-10 9-2 9-2 3-9 9-6) in the quarterfinals by the eventual champions Lee Beachill and Peter Nicol.<ref name="leitch3">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/results/4783070.stm|title=2006 Commonwealth Games: Squash: Men's doubles|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=14 October 2010|date=26 March 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.squashplayer.co.uk/CommGames_06/Draws.htm|title=Draws and results|publisher=Squash Player|access-date=25 April 2026}}</ref>

In 2010, Leitch appeared for the Scottish team again<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9049683.stm|title=Commonwealth Games 2010: Squash results|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=25 April 2026}}</ref> at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, playing alongside Alan Clyne in the men's doubles, and Lisa Aitken in the Mixed Doubles. He and Clyne finished 4th after losing 2–0 to the Australian team in the bronze medal match.<ref name="leitch4">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9049683.stm|title=Commonwealth Games 2010: Squash results|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=14 October 2010|date=30 September 2010}}</ref>

In September 2013 Leitch was one of the first 27 athletes to be selected as part of Team Scotland for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goscotland.org/harry-leitch.aspx|title = Doctor's Appointment - Leitch Gets the Call|date = 22 October 2013}}</ref> Leitch and Clyne again reached the semi-finals in men's doubles but ultimately finished 4th, losing to James Willstrop and Daryl Selby of England in the bronze medal match.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/scotland/28633556|title=Clyne and Leitch sad to miss bronze|work=BBC Sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.squashplayer.co.uk/commgames_14/index.htm|title=Commonwealth Games 2014|publisher=Squash Player|access-date=25 April 2026}}</ref>

In addition, he won a record ten Blues representing the University of Cambridge on the squash court. This led to the introduction of the 'Leitch Law' in 2014, which limits the number of varsity appearances to 8 in total,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport.cam.ac.uk/student-sport/blues-committees-and-varsity|title = Blues Committees|date = 6 October 2017}}</ref> essentially extending the 'Rankov Rule' from rowing to encompass all Varsity matches.

== Academic career == Leitch grew up in Edinburgh, where he attended George Watson's College.<ref name="leitch6">{{cite web|url=http://www.gwc.org.uk/Publisher/754.shtml|title=Commonwealth Games Squad|year=2010|publisher=George Watson's College|accessdate=25 October 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101010229/http://www.gwc.org.uk/Publisher/754.shtml|archivedate=1 January 2011}}</ref> Following graduation in 2003, Leitch entered the University of Cambridge, where he obtained a BA in Natural Sciences in 2007. He subsequently completed an MB/PhD at the School of Clinical Medicine and a research fellowship at Wolfson College,<ref name=leitch7>{{cite web|title=Dr Harry Leitch, Wolfson College Cambridge|url=http://www.wolfson.cam.ac.uk/people/dr-harry-leitch|year=2012|publisher=Wolfson College, Cambridge|accessdate=12 September 2012}}</ref> as well as teaching Medicine at Fitzwilliam College.<ref name="leitch5">{{cite web|url=http://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/news-2-17|title=Fitzwilliam athletes at Commonwealth Games|year=2010|publisher=Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge|accessdate=14 October 2010}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Squash Info|1035-harry-leitch}} * [http://cgcs.org.uk/Athletes/AthleteProfile.aspx?print=&id=2114&mode=bio&ContactID=29716 Scotland National Team Profile]{{Dead link|date=May 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leitch, Harry}} Category:1985 births Category:Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Category:Living people Category:People educated at George Watson's College Category:Sportspeople from Edinburgh Category:Scottish male squash players Category:Squash players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Category:Squash players at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Squash players at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Scotland Category:21st-century Scottish sportsmen