Jill Slattery

Breaststroke swimmer Jill Slattery did not take up the sport until she was 12-years-of-age and was 19 when she made her Olympic début in 1964 - something of a ´veteran´ debutant in those days. Having held all the breaststroke titles of Sheffield, Yorkshire, and the North-Eastern counties, Slattery went to the Tokyo Olympics as winner of the 1964 ASA 110 Yards title (and runner-up in the 220). Shortly before the Games she had become the first British woman to swim the 220 yards in under two minutes 50 seconds, but just missed out on a medal at Tokyo, finishing fifth in the individual 200 metres.

At the Mexico City Games four years later, Slattery captained the British ladies´ team and again went to the Games with optimism after a revival in form that saw her win her second consecutive ASA 220 yards title. Unfortunately, Slattery failed to reach the final of both the 100 and 200. She was one of just three survivors from Tokyo 1964 to go to the Mexico Games, with Bobby McGregor, and John Thurley being the other two.

In addition to her three ASA titles, Slattery also enjoyed six more podium finishes between 1965-67, and in 1967 lowered the British 220 yards record again to 2:48.0, and she remains the record holder at this distance as it went metric in 1968. Internationally, Slattery won the 220 yards gold and 110 silver medals at the 1966 British and Empire and Commonwealth Games and that same year won bronze in the 200 at the European Championships in Utrecht.

Slattery retired in November 1968 and emigrated to America where she worked as a coach to the Indianapolis Athletic Club swimming team. She married Miles Cramer in 1973 and later lived at Whidbey Island, Washington, USA.