Editing Allan Wells (section)

===Later sprinting career===
In 1982, in [[Brisbane]], Queensland, Australia, Wells won two more [[Commonwealth Games]] titles in the 100 m, a wind-assisted 10.02. and then the 200 m, and a [[bronze medal]] in the relay. He shared the 200 m title with [[Mike McFarlane]] of England in 20.43 in a rare [[Tie (draw)|dead heat]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Z8NAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2461%2C1639382 |title=Wells in a unique dead heat for gold |first=Doug |last=Gillon |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=8 October 1982 |page=24 |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref>

In 1983, he won his third European Cup title by winning the 200 metres in 20.72, beating his old adversary Pietro Mennea in London, and again took 2nd in the 100 m.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w8FAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2231%2C4339604 |title=Victory banishes Wells's nightmare |first=Doug |last=Gillon |work=The Glasgow Herald |page=16 |date=22 August 1983 |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref>

He then finished 4th in both the 100/200 sprint finals at the IAAF World Championships in [[Helsinki]].

At age 32,<ref name="Olympics.com 2018 o456">{{cite web | title=Allan WELLS | website=Olympics.com | date=20 July 2018 | url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/allan-wells | access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref> he reached the 100 m semi-finals at the [[1984 Los Angeles Olympics]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6cJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3767%2C929556 |title=Wells has foot injury |first=Doug |last=Gillon |work=The Herald |page=1 |date=6 August 1984 |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref> and was a member of the relay team that finished 7th in the final.

Wells missed most of 1985 with injury. He was not selected for the [[1986 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh]] in 1986, as he had failed to compete at the Scottish trials.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/sport/allan-wells-missing-scotlands-last-games-1564281 |title=Allan Wells on missing Scotland's last games |first=Paul |last=Forsyth |work=The Scotsman |date=18 August 2013 |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref> However, on 5 August at [[Gateshead]], he beat both [[Ben Johnson in 10.40 (Canadian sprinter)|Ben Johnson]] and [[Atlee Mahorn]], the respective Commonwealth 100 m and 200 m champions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZrZAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5992%2C1295837 |title=Wells stakes claim for place in Europe |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=6 August 1986 |page=19 |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref>

Wells gained additional attention at Gateshead for being the first to be seen sporting the now common [[Lycra]] running shorts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12020547.quantum-leap-in-sports-technology/|title=Quantum leap in sports technology |first=Doug |last=Gillon |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=14 December 1998 |access-date=14 October 2022}}</ref> The sight of these led to him being dubbed [[Wilson of the Wizard]] (a comic book character).<ref name="golden oldie">{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athletics-wells-warms-to-golden-oldie-day-1069350.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228164234/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/athletics-wells-warms-to-golden-oldie-day-1069350.html |archive-date=2014-02-28 |url-access=limited |url-status=live | location=London | work=The Independent | first=Simon | last=Turnbull | title=Athletics: Wells warms to golden oldie day | date=7 February 1999}}</ref>

Wells was consequently selected for [[Stuttgart]] in the European championships, coming fifth in both the 100 m and 200 m finals.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ebZAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3843%2C6929472 |title=Triumphant Christie's tribute to Wells |first=Doug |last=Gillon |work=The Glasgow Herald |date=28 August 1986 |page=22 |access-date=16 October 2022}}</ref> He also had a victory against [[Linford Christie]] at [[Crystal Palace National Sports Centre|Crystal Palace]] at the end of 1986 in 100 m at 10.31. One of his last victories was winning the Inverness Highland Games 100/200 double in 1987. In 1987 his best time was 10.28 and he qualified for the Rome World Championships but he
was injured.

Although his later career was plagued by repeated back injuries, he still won a career total of 18 medals at major championships before retiring in his mid-30s. He and Don Quarrie and Pietro Mennea set a trend for sprinters in their mid thirties to compete longer in the late Eighties.<ref name="Scottish Sports Hall of Fame 2023 p582">{{cite web | title=ALLAN WELLS MBE | website=Scottish Sports Hall of Fame | date=25 May 2023 | url=https://sshf.sportscotland.org.uk/inductees/allan-wells-mbe/index.html | access-date=30 March 2024}}</ref>