Diana Elizabeth Wilkinson (born 17 March 1944 in Stockport, Cheshire) is a retired British freestyle swimmer. She competed in the

British Empire and Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...

from 1958 to 1966, the

1958 Events January * January 1 – The European Economic Community (EEC) comes into being. * January 3 – The West Indies Federation is formed. * January 4 ** Edmund Hillary's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition completes the third ...

and 1962 European Aquatics Championships, and the

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Jan ...

and 1964 Summer Olympics.

Swimming career

She won five medals at the

and 1962 European Aquatics Championships. She also participated in the

and 1964 Summer Olympics. Wilkinson was just 16 years old when she represented Great Britain at the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

in the 100 metre freestyle, in the event she finished in third place in her heat and didn't qualify for the next round. Four years later she competed in two events at the 1964 Summer Olympics, she entered the 100 metre freestyle again and this time she finished fifth in her heat so didn't advance to the next round, she was also a part of the 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay team which finished last in there heat and didn't advance to the final. She competed in four Commonwealth Games winning five medals. She represented

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and won a bronze medal in the freestyle relay at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

, Wales. Four years later she won a silver medal in the medley relay and a third consecutive bronze in the freestyle relay, at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

, Western Australia. Finally during the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica she won her final and fourth consecutive freestyle relay medal. She is a four times winner of the British Championship in 100 metres freestyle (1961-1964) and the 200 metres freestyle in 1962.

Personal life

Her older brother is

Christopher Wilkinson Christopher Wilkinson (born March 29, 1950) is an American screenwriter, producer, and director. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for '' Nixon'' (1995).

References

Swimming career

Personal life

See also

References