Career
He was one of Europe"s best high jumpers during the immediate post-World World War II period. He was a two-time Olympic finalist in the event, having competed at the 1948 London Olympics and the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Born in Glasgow, he rose to the top of the national scene by winning the 1946 Amateur Athletic Association junior title in 1.89 m (6 ft 21⁄4 in) before taking the senior title at the American Automobile Association Championships.
He was chosen to represent Great Britain at the 1946 European Athletics Championships in August and claimed the silver medal after a personal best jump of 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in), finishing behind Sweden"s Anton Bolinder.
This made the 18-year-old Paterson the youngest ever medallist at the championships. Paterson was again beaten by a foreigner at the 1948 American Automobile Association championships, this time by Australian John Winter.
He contested Winter again at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London and the Australian came out on top with the gold medal while Paterson was the home nation"s best performer in seventh place with 1.90 m (6 ft 23⁄4 in). He prevented runner-up Arne Åhman from extending Sweden"s unbeaten run since 1938 and was the first non-Scandinavian to lift the title.
That same year he represented his native Scotland at the 1950 British Empire Games.
Paterson emigrated to Canada in 1951 and ceased national competition as a result. His final international appearance came at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics at the age of twenty four. He was no longer competitive among the elite at that event and failed to clear 1.90 m (6 ft 23⁄4 in), ending his Olympic career with 24th-place finish.
Following retirement from athletics, Paterson remained in Canada and died there at the age of seventy in Portuguese Cr, Ontario.