Willie Francis (swimmer)
William Francis (23 February 1911 – April 1997) was a Scottish competitive swimmer and backstroke specialist who represented Great Britain in the Olympics and competed for Scotland in the British Empire Games.
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Francis | |||||||||||||||||||
Nickname(s) | "Willie" | |||||||||||||||||||
National team | ||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Dunfermline, Scotland | 23 February 1911|||||||||||||||||||
Died | April 1997 (aged 86) | |||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Backstroke | |||||||||||||||||||
Club | Renfrew District ASC | |||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
He was born in Dunfermline.
At the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the men's 100-metre backstroke event. Four years later at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he was eliminated in the first round of the men's 100-metre backstroke.
At the 1930 British Empire Games he won the silver medal in the 100-yard backstroke contest. Four years later at the Empire Games in Sydney he won the gold medal in the 100-yard backstroke. He was also a member of the Scottish team which won the silver medal in the 3×110-yard medley relay. He also participated in the 1938 Empire Games but was unplaced in the 110-yard backstroke contest.