Brendan McKeown

Welwyn Garden City bank clerk Brendan McKeown took up competitive cycling in 1960 after joining the Welwyn Wheelers. He finished third in the 1965 British National Amateur Sprint championship behind Roger Whitfield and Ian Alsop, and was second in the Madison Championship in 1966. McKeown won his first national title (individual pursuit) in 1967. He retained it in 1968 but could not go for the hat-trick because the 1969 event coincided with banking examinations he had to sit.

McKeown took part in four World Track Championships, the first at Belgium in 1963. He finished fifth in the 4000 metres individual pursuit at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, and competed in the 1000 metres time trial at the 1968 Olympics and placed 16th. McKeown was called up as a reserve for the GB squad at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics as a replacement for Mike Cowley, who was promoted to the team following Les West´s withdrawal through illness.

McKeown’s finest moment was in 1966 when he won the 100 km Grand Prix of Europe with Trevor Bull. They beat the future Olympic gold medallists Daniel Morelon and Pierre Trentin. McKeown ended his serious competitive cycling days after the Mexico Olympics to concentrate on his career with Midland Bank, and eventually became a branch manager with them.