Jackie Brown

Backstroke swimmer Jackie Brown started winning trophies in the Hull area from the age of 11 and, after going on to win ASA age-group backstroke titles, finished second to Wendy Burrell in the 110 yards at the 1968 senior ASA Championships. Only 15 at the time, Brown was subsequently selected for the Mexico Olympics and took part in both backstroke events, but failed to progress beyond the first round in each.

Brown finished third in the 1969 ASA 110 yards final behind New Zealand’s Glenda Stirling and Burrell, and the following year was sixth in the 100 metres final at the British Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh. Brown won the first of two ASA titles in 1971 when she won the 200 back. The following year she was the 100 metres champion and represented GB at the München (Munich) Olympics but again failed to progress beyond the first round. She was also a reserve for the 4x100 medley relay squad.

Shortly after the 1972 Games Brown met fellow swimmer Howard Veale when they were both training at Loughborough and they married in 1976. They made their home in Devon, where their sons Elliot and Radley were both talented schoolboy and junior tennis players.