Judy Grinham

Judith Brenda Grinham (born 5 March 1939), also known by her married name Judith Roe or also by her former married name Judith Rowley, is an English former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics and European championships, and competed for England in the Commonwealth Games. Grinham is an Olympic gold medallist, Commonwealth and European champion, and former world record-holder. In 1956 and 1958 she was chosen as Great Britain's Sportswoman of the Year. in Neasden in 1960, in St Catherine's Church. They had two children, Keith Rowley (born in June 1961) and Ali Grinham (nee Heeks/Rowley) (born in December 1962). They lived in Northwood in Middlesex. She has five grandchildren. Daniel Page, Georgia Heeks, Tahara-Jayne Rusden-Rowley and Ruby Heeks.

In 1977 she got divorced and in 1979 married Michael Roe (who had 4 children). She also has five step-grandchildren.

She lived for many years in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire but moved to Downderry, Cornwall to live by the sea and sail with her husband Mike. After his death she moved back to Abbots Langley and in 2024 she emigrated to spend her final years with her son, Keith in New Zealand where she currently resides.

Career Grinham competed in the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, winning the 100-metre backstroke, setting a world record of 1:12.9. She became the first Briton to win an Olympic swimming gold since Lucy Morton in 1924. the 1957 ASA National Championship 220 yards freestyle title and the 110 yards backstroke title three times (1955, 1956, 1958).

Grinham retired from competitions in 1959. The same year she appeared as a PT instructor in the Associated British Technicolor wartime service comedy film Operation Bullshine, alongside stars Donald Sinden, Barbara Murray and Carole Lesley, but never made another film.

Grinham was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honour Swimmer in 1981.

In 2007 she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, 50 years after winning gold in Melbourne.