Elenor Gordon learnt to swim at Hamilton Baths where her father worked as a lifeguard. She was first chosen to compete for Great Britain at 15 years of age at the 1948 London Olympic where she was the youngest member of the home team. Gordon went on to become Commonwealth Games champion for Scotland over 200 m breaststroke in 1950 and was established as one of the world’s best breaststrokers by the time she went to her 2nd Olympics in Helsinki. In Finland, she was the only swimmer to break Hungarian domination as she narrowly defeated Klára Killermann to win the bronze medal behind two further Hungarian swimmers. She retained her Commonwealth title in 1954 whilst adding a relay gold to her achievements and was a finalist at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. Gordon retired from swimming shortly afterwards to raise a family and was banned from the sport after the acceptance of a £5 fee from a television appearance made her a professional in the eyes of the Scottish Swimming Association. Forty years later she made a successful return to the sport winning world titles and setting world records in the over 60 age group. Towards the end of her life she was confined to a wheelchair with a degenerative spinal condition.
Great Britain