Elenor Gordon

Helen Orr "Elenor" Gordon (later McKay; 10 May 1933 – 5 July 2014) was a Scottish breaststroke swimmer who represented Great Britain at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics, and Scotland at the 1950 and 1954 British Empire Games. She won an Olympic bronze medal in the 200-metre breaststroke in 1952 and three gold medals at the British Empire Games. She learnt to swim at Hamilton Baths, where her father Gavin Gordon worked as a lifeguard. She was also part of the swimming team coached by David Crabb at the Motherwell Baths. Her training had been restricted to 20-minute sessions at Hamilton where 90% of pool time was reserved for males.

Gordon retired from competitions after the 1956 Summer Olympics to raise a family. Besides, the Scottish Swimming Association revoked her amateur status after she accepted a 5-pound fee for a television appearance. She resumed competing in the 1990s, as a master swimmer, winning world titles and setting world records in the over 60 age group.

She was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

Reporting After leaving swimming she wrote a weekly column for the Daily Express and Evening Citizen in Glasgow. She was a secretary and a sport reporter, covering swimming for two Scottish newspapers. and into the Scottish Swimming Hall of Fame in 2010. She died on 5 July 2014 at the age of 81, following a long battle against ill health in Wishaw. Her funeral was held at the Daldowie Crematorium.