Passages: Australian Olympian Brian Wilkinson, 88
Australian Olympian Brian Wilkinson died on April 27 in his native New South Wales. He was 88 years old. Wilkinson died after a short illness.
Wilkinson represented Australia at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, part of a medal table-topping Aussie team. He made the final of the men’s 200 butterfly, finishing seventh in his only event.
The native of Muswellbrook set a world record in the men’s 110-yard fly in 1958. He was part of the 4 x 220-yard freestyle relay that won gold at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, on a team with John Konrads, John Devitt and Gary Chapman. He also took bronze in the 220-yard fly at that meet.
He is listed as being part of three all-time 400-meter (440-yard) medley relay world records, including one in Osaka, Japan, in 1958, though he didn’t swim on the medley relay for Australia at the 1958 Commonwealth Games.
Wilkinson retired from swimming in 1964 and went into coaching. He was part of the Australian delegation to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, just the second Aussie to make an Olympics as both swimmer and coach. He was named the national Open Water Coach of the Year by the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association in 2001.
“He has achieved so much in his 88 years on this earth, influenced so many lives, helped so many people to be the best version of themselves both in sport and in life,” his son, Grant Wilkinson, wrote on social media. “Olympic Swimmer, Olympic Coach, World Record Holder, inducted into 3 different Hall of Fames. A mentor, friend and father figure to countless number of athletes giving unwavering support but also some home truths when needed to. Old school. For me I have lost my best mate. A constant that has had my back and who has been by my side since my first swimming race at age 5.
“There is a hole in the universe that cannot be filled but those who met him and knew him best were better for it. I will love you forever!”
“He an enormous contribution to sport,” Swimming Australia coach Leigh Nugent said. “He was an Olympian, a great coach and just a good person. He was a man who made a difference.”