Sheila Clayton

Lambeth’s Sheila Clayton started swimming at the age of 11 and, like so many teenage British swimmers in the 1960s and 70s, her competitive career was brief. Due to a lack of funding at the time, it meant there was a need to find gainful employment, and Clayton was no exception. In that short career, however, she enjoyed some success.

Having collected trophies at local Lambeth swimming galas before she was a teenager, Clayton was the freestyle champion of both the Surrey and Southern Counties in 1967. That same year she made her senior international début against Spain at Wigan and, in the match against the Netherlands, Clayton finished second in the 440 yards freestyle, with the double Olympic medallist Ada Kok in fourth place.

Clayton finished second behind Susan Williams in both the ASA 440 and 880 free in 1967 and was second in the same events to Sally Davison the following year. Clayton went to the Mexico Olympics and, while she was a reserve for the 800 metres, took part in the 400 but, like Williams and Davison, failed to progress beyond the first round.