Margaret Joyce Cooper (18 April 1909 – 22 July 2002), later known by her married name Joyce Badcock, was an English 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 at the Olympics and European championships, and England at the British Empire Games, during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Swimming career

At the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...

in Amsterdam, she won a silver medal in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay, and a pair of bronze medals in the 100-metre freestyle and 100-metre backstroke events. In the 100-metre freestyle she finished together with Jean McDowell, but the judges gave the bronze medal to Cooper in a 3–2 vote. Cooper also won one gold, four silver and one bronze medals at the 1927 and 1931 European championships, and, while representing England, four gold medals at the

1930 British Empire Games The 1930 British Empire Games were the inaugural edition of what now is known as the Commonwealth Games, and were held in Hamilton, Ontario, from 16 to 23 August 1930. The games were organized by ''Hamilton Spectator'' sportswriter Bobby Robinso ...

. When Los Angeles hosted the

1932 Summer Olympics The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held duri ...

, she won a bronze in the women's 4×100-metre freestyle relay. In individual competition, she was fourth in the 400-metre freestyle, and sixth in the 100-metre backstroke.

Personal life

Cooper was born in the British island colony of Ceylon (now

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

), where her father owned a tea plantation. In 1934 she married British Olympic rowing champion John Badcock. Their eldest son Felix Badcock won a bronze medal in rowing at the

1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games (Welsh: Gemau Ymerodraeth Prydain a'r Gymanwlad 1958) were held in Cardiff, Wales, from 18–26 July 1958. Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games ...

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 and their younger son Francis 'David' M Badcock (born 1937), also rowed for the Thames RC and was a reserve for 1958 Commonwealth games crew in addition to rowing in the 1958 boat race.

References

* * * * * UK Women 4x100m team 1928 Olympics

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Joyce 1909 births 2002 deaths People from Central Province, Sri Lanka Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England English female swimmers European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Female backstroke swimmers English female freestyle swimmers Olympic bronze medalists in swimming Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Olympic swimmers of Great Britain Swimmers at the 1928 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1930 British Empire Games Swimmers at the 1932 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medalists in swimming Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming

Swimming career

Personal life

See also

References