Margaret Auton

The swimming career of Hartlepool´s Margaret Auton was brief. In 1966 she reached the girls 110 yards freestyle final at the National Championships at Blackpool, and less than four years later she announced her retirement from international swimming. Having made her England international début again the Netherlands in 1966, the pinnacle of Auton’s career was competing at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, where she reached the final of both the 200 metres butterfly (seventh) and 4x100 medley relay (sixth). She also reached the 100 butterfly semi-final.

Domestically, Auton broke both the British 110 and 220 yards butterfly records in 1968 and was champion in both events at that year’s ASA Championships. She was the 110 yards champion for a second time in 1969. After being accepted for a three-year PE and biology course in Liverpool, Auton announced her retirement from international swimming in January 1970 at the age of 18. She subsequently qualified to become a schoolteacher, and in March 1975 married Denis McCulloch.