Great British Olympic hero David Wilkie dies aged 70

David Wilkie dies
“Died peacefully”
Olympic success
Silver medals
World Champion
Retirement
MBE
Sports Personality of the Year
Tribute
Team GB
David Wilkie dies

According to reports by the BBC, former Great British swimmer David Wilkie has died, aged 70.

“Died peacefully”

According to a press release from Wilkie’s family, he, “died peacefully surrounded by his family this morning, following his brave battle with cancer.”

Olympic success

Wilkie, born in Sri Lanka to Scottish parents, Wilkie won the 200m breaststroke gold at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada in a time that beat the previous world record by over three seconds, per The Mirror.

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Silver medals

Per The Guardian, Wilkie also won two silver medals in the same games.

World Champion

Wilkie’s Olympic success came three years after his dominance started, having won the 1973 World Championships in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke events.

Retirement

Per The Guardian, Wilkie decided he had achieved all he needed to in competitive sport following the Montreal games, retiring just one month after his 22 birthday.

MBE

Wilkie’s star continued to rise following his gold medal, as he was rewarded with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his efforts in the pool.

Sports Personality of the Year

Wilkie’s success was recognised by the British public, who twice voted him Sports Personality of the Year, per the BBC.

Tribute

Wilkie’s son, Adam, said, “My dad was a truly wonderful man, father, and husband. He achieved so much in his life and those that knew him will never forget his love for life, kindness, and wonderful sense of humour,” in a statement.

Team GB

Team GB also released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) that reads, “David won Olympic gold in the 200m breaststroke at Montreal 1976, as well as multiple world and European titles. Our thoughts are with David's family and friends.”

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