# Diana Wilkinson

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British swimmer (born 1944)

Diana Wilkinson Personal information Nationality British (English) Born (1944-03-17) 17 March 1944 (age 82) Stockport, England Sport Sport Swimming Event Freestyle Club Stockport SC

**Diana Elizabeth Wilkinson** married name **Bishop** (born 17 March 1944) is a retired British freestyle swimmer. She competed in the [British Empire and Commonwealth Games](/source/British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games) from 1958 to 1966, the [1958](/source/1958_European_Aquatics_Championships) and [1962 European Aquatics Championships](/source/1962_European_Aquatics_Championships), and the [1960](/source/1960_Summer_Olympics) and [1964 Summer Olympics](/source/1964_Summer_Olympics).

## Biography

She won five medals at the [1958](/source/1958_European_Aquatics_Championships) and [1962 European Aquatics Championships](/source/1962_European_Aquatics_Championships).[1] She also participated in the [1960](/source/1960_Summer_Olympics) and [1964 Summer Olympics](/source/1964_Summer_Olympics).[2]

Wilkinson was just 16 years old when she represented Great Britain at the [1960 Summer Olympics](/source/1960_Summer_Olympics) in the [100 metre freestyle](/source/Swimming_at_the_1960_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metre_freestyle), in the event she finished in third place in her heat and didn't qualify for the next round. Four years later she competed in two events at the [1964 Summer Olympics](/source/1964_Summer_Olympics), she entered the [100 metre freestyle](/source/Swimming_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_100_metre_freestyle) again and this time she finished fifth in her heat so didn't advance to the next round, she was also a part of the [4 × 100 metre freestyle relay](/source/Swimming_at_the_1964_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_4_%C3%97_100_metre_freestyle_relay) team which finished last in there heat and didn't advance to the final.[3]

She competed in four Commonwealth Games winning five medals. In May 1958 she took part in the Empire Games trials in Blackpool[4] and subsequently represented the [English team](/source/England_at_the_1958_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games)[5] at the [1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games](/source/1958_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games) in Cardiff, Wales. She competed in the [110 & 440 yards freestyle events](/source/Aquatics_at_the_1958_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games) and helped England claim the gold medal in the final of the [women's 4 x 110 yards medley relay](/source/Aquatics_at_the_1958_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games), with [Judy Grinham](/source/Judy_Grinham), [Anita Lonsbrough](/source/Anita_Lonsbrough) and [Christine Gosden](/source/Christine_Gosden) and the bronze medal in the final of the [women's 4 x 110 yards freestyle](/source/Aquatics_at_the_1958_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games), with [Beryl Noakes](/source/Beryl_Noakes), [Judy Grinham](/source/Judy_Grinham) and [Anne Marshall](/source/Anne_Marshall_(swimmer)).[6]

Four years later she won a silver medal in the medley relay and a third consecutive bronze in the freestyle relay, at the [1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games](/source/1962_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games) in [Perth](/source/Perth), Western Australia. Finally during the [1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games](/source/1966_British_Empire_and_Commonwealth_Games) in Kingston, Jamaica she won her final and fourth consecutive freestyle relay medal.[7]

She is a four times winner of the [British Championship](/source/British_Swimming_Championships_-_100_metres_freestyle_winners) in 100 metres freestyle (1961-1964) and the [200 metres freestyle](/source/British_Swimming_Championships_-_200_metres_freestyle_winners) in 1962.[8][9][10][11]

## Family

Her older brother is [Christopher Wilkinson](/source/Christopher_Wilkinson_(swimmer)).

## See also

- [World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay](/source/World_record_progression_4_%C3%97_100_metres_medley_relay)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [EUROPEAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS (WOMEN)](http://www.gbrathletics.com/sport/swimecw.htm). gbrathletics.com

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Pauline Sillett](https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035914/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/diana-wilkinson-1.html). sports-reference.com

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Diana Wilkinson"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200418035914/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/diana-wilkinson-1.html). *Sports-Reference.com*. Archived from [the original](https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/diana-wilkinson-1.html) on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Sykes and Symonds chosen for trials"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000769/19580528/105/0011). *Coventry Evening Telegraph*. 28 May 1958. p. 11. Retrieved 16 October 2025 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Wales Cardiff 1958"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211115055851/https://thecgf.com/results/games/3034/71/all). *Commonwealth Games Federation*. Archived from [the original](https://thecgf.com/results/games/3034/71/all) on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["1958 Athletes"](https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/cardiff-1958/athletes). Team England.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Athletes and results"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190729122404/https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/54428). Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from [the original](https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/54428) on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["From a Swimming Correspondent. "Swimmers Give Promise Of Even Greater Things." Times, 4 Sept. 1961, p. 4"](https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS67592484/GDCS?u=oxfshlib&sid=GDCS&xid=7e2406ce). Times Digital Archive.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [""Strong British Challenge To Australian Swimmers." Times, 17 Sept. 1962, p. 4"](https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS67461937/GDCS?u=oxfshlib&sid=GDCS&xid=bf72891f). Times Digital Archive.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["From Our Swimming Correspondent. "World's Fastest Can Swim Faster Still." Times, 2 Sept. 1963, p. 3"](https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS50685218/GDCS?u=oxfshlib&sid=GDCS&xid=f983741d). Times Digital Archive.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["From Our Swimming Correspondent. "Meagre Swimming Team For Tokyo." Times, 24 Aug. 1964, p. 3"](https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS50554648/GDCS?u=oxfshlib&sid=GDCS&xid=15c913a9). Times Digital Archive.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Diana Wilkinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Wilkinson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Wilkinson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.