The British Olympic swimming champion David Wilkie has died at the age of 70.
Wilkie’s family announced that the Scottish great Wilkie, who won 200m breaststroke gold for Great Britain in Montreal in 1976, died on Wednesday morning.
A statement read: “It is with great sadness that the family of David Wilkie MBE announce that he died peacefully surrounded by his family this morning, following his brave battle with cancer.”
As well as the 1976 gold medal, Wilkie won two Olympic silver medals and three world titles. Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1954 to Scottish parents, Wilkie won his first major medal with a bronze at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, representing Scotland.
His first world championship gold followed in 1973 in Belgrade, and two years later he won both 100m and 200m breaststroke titles in Cali. Wilkie was crowned Olympic champion after an extraordinary performance in Montreal, where he broke the world record by more than three seconds. The record, one of five he achieved in his career, stood five years, but Wilkie did not attempt to better it, choosing instead to retire one month after the Games at the age of 22.
Wilkie was awarded an MBE in 1977 and subsequently became a successful businessman. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and children, Natasha and Adam.
Adam Wilkie said: “My dad was a truly wonderful man, father, and husband. He achieved so much in his life and those that knew him will never forget his love for life, kindness, and wonderful sense of humour.”
The former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies posted on X: “I am so sad to hear of the loss of Olympic champion superstar breaststroker, my first crush & definitely an inspiration, proud Scotsman David Wilkie who died earlier today, sleep tight old friend x.”