Brian Brinkley (born 28 December 1953) is an English former competitive
swimmer
Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
who represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games, FINA world championships and European championships, and England in the Commonwealth Games, during the 1970s. During his elite swimming career, he won thirteen medals in major international swimming championships.
Swimming career
At the
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...
in Munich, West Germany, Brinkley qualified to compete in six events: the 100-, 200-, 400- and 1500-metre freestyle events, the 200-metre butterfly, and the 4x200-metre freestyle relay. His best performances were fourth in the
400-metre freestyle final, and eighth as a member of the British men's team in the
4x200-metre freestyle relay.
[Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes]
Brian Brinkley
Retrieved 31 May 2015.
Brinkley was a member of the British national team at the
1974 European Aquatics Championships
The 1974 European Aquatics Championships were held in Austrian capital of Vienna from 18 to 25 August 1974. Besides swimming there were titles contested in diving, synchronised swimming (women) and water polo (men).
Medal table
Medal summary
D ...
in Vienna, winning a pair of silver medals in the men's 200-metre butterfly and as a member of the British team in the 4x100-metre medley relay.
When Christchurch, New Zealand hosted the
1974 British Commonwealth Games
The 1974 British Commonwealth Games ( mi, 1974 Taumāhekeheke Commonwealth) were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. The Games were off ...
, he swam for England in six events, winning medals in all of them. He won a gold medal for his first-place performance in the 200-metre butterfly, and two silver medals for finishing second in the 200-metre and 400-metre individual medley events. He was also a member of all three of England's relay teams, winning a silver in the 4x200-metre freestyle, and bronzes in the 4x100-metre freestyle and 4x100-metre medley.
At the
1975 World Aquatics Championships
The 1975 World Aquatics Championships took place in Cali, Colombia between July 19 and July 27, 1975, with 682 participating athletes.
Medal table
Medal summary Diving
;Men
;Women
Swimming
;Men
;Women
Synchronised swimming
Wat ...
, he won a silver medal with the British men in the 4x200-metre freestyle relay, and three bronze medals in the 200-metre freestyle, 200-metre butterfly, and 4x100-metre medley relay. He was appointed MBE in the
1976 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1976 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1976 to celebra ...
.
A year later in Montreal, Quebec, at the
1976 Summer Olympics
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
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* January 11 – The 1976 Phi ...
, Brinkley competed in four events. He was a member of the fourth-place British team in the
men's 4x100-metre medley relay, and won a bronze medal with the third-place British men in the
4x200-metre freestyle relay. In individual competition, he advanced to the event final of the
200-metre butterfly and came sixth. He also swam in the preliminary heats of the
200-metre freestyle but did not advance.
[
He won the 1974 ASA National Championship 100 metres freestyle title, was a five times winner of the 200 metres freestyle (1971-1975) and a four times winner of the 400 metres freestyle in (1971-1974). He also won the 1972 ASA British National 1500 metres freestyle title and the 200 metres butterfly title in 1972, 1973 and 1974.]
Coaching
Later, while coaching at Peterborough (his home town), he coached channel swimmers and was in a successful relay channel team in 1987
See also
* List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
This is the complete list of men's Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming from 1930 to 2022.
Current program
50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
50 metre backstroke
...
* List of European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men)
* List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
This is the complete list of men's Olympic medalists in swimming.
Men's events 50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
800 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
100 metre backstroke
200 metre ...
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brinkley, Brian
1953 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Peterborough
English male swimmers
European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
Male butterfly swimmers
English male freestyle swimmers
Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain
Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
Olympic swimmers of Great Britain
Swimmers at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 1976 Summer Olympics
World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
Swimmers at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games
Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming
Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England
Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England
Members of the Order of the British Empire