David Hembrow

As a 13-year-old, David Hembrow was an excellent freestyle and backstroke swimmer and in 1962 finished fifth in the boys’ 100 yards freestyle at the ASA under-16 championships. He followed that with a third place in the English Schools’ Championship. Hembrow was called up into the senior Great Britain squad for the international against Italy at Crystal Palace in 1965 and the following year came his closest to winning a senior ASA title when finishing fourth in the 110 yards freestyle.

After putting in good performances against Bobby McGregor in the British Universities’ Championships, and at Blackpool a couple of months before the 1968 Olympics, Bath University student David Hembrow got a surprise call-up for the Great Britain squad as a member of the 4x100 metres relay, squad. At Mexico, the GB quartet reached the final where they finished fourth behind the world record breaking USA, the Soviet Union, and Australia.

Despite not winning an ASA title, Hembrow won many Somerset and Western County titles, and upon moving to the Chester area after University, added further County titles to his collection.