Swimming & More

Demonstrating an aptitude for swimming, Duncan Goodhew soon realised that sport could rebuild his self-esteem. By the age of 15 he was intent on becoming the best swimmer in the world; an ambition that took him to the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games where he won an Olympic gold medal.

After retiring from competitive swimming, Duncan Goodhew was selected by the British Bobsleigh Association; to represent Great Britain at the 1981 European Championships in the 2 and 4 Man Bobsleigh.

Business Interests

Currently, Duncan has extensive and diverse business interests and also fronts many media and promotional campaigns. His award winning company Limelight Projects, is a market leader; and is behind the creative delivery of many of the largest and most successful mass participation events and programmes. This year winning the coveted Sports Agency of the Year.

Duncan Goodhew is also a Director of Premier Sport, the UK’s largest sports coaching company; which is delivering high quality sport and PE to over 150,000 children a week.

Duncan Goodhew: Guest Speaker

It is Duncan’s ability to communicate and motivate which has placed him in high demand as a conference speaker. For leading companies such as; American Express, Coutts Bank, IBM, Microsoft, Ford Motors, PWC, KP, United Artists, Barclays Bank, Prudential and British Gas. Duncan’s positive thinking programme, which incorporates his account of how he scaled his “personal Everest”. Has encouraged dedication and perseverance; among the company execs and work forces to whom he has spoken.

Charity Work

As well as his commercial activities, Duncan supports various charities. He is President of Swimathon whose swimmers have raised in excess of £34 million for charity, co-founded and Vice President Youth Sport Trust and is Chairman of the Millfield Foundation.

Duncan Goodhew Career Highlights

• 1976 Montreal Olympic Games – 7th 100m Breaststroke
• 1975-79 BA Business Management at NC State University
• 1978-1980 GB and England Swimming Team Captain
• 1980 Moscow Olympic Games – Gold 100m, 6th 200m Breaststroke and Bronze in the 4x100m Medley Relay
• 1981 represented GB in the 2 and 4 Man Bobsleigh at the European Championships
• was presented an MBE by the Queen for services to sport
• 1982 one of the founding directors of the Sports Aid Trust now SportAid
• 1983 Director of Athole Still International Management
• 1987 launched and became President of Swimathon
• 1988 a founding Director of the first American style gym, The Barbican Health and Fitness PLC, in the UK
• member of the Governmental Review of Sport for the Disabled
• 1994 formed the Youth Sport Trust
• 2001 Royal Humane Society Award
• 2002 publication of ‘Sink or Swim’
• 2004 regular contributor to the Financial Times
• 2005 member of the Independent Sports Review
• 2006 Ambassador for London 2012
• 2006 spearheading Every Day Swim
• 2007 launching Premier Sport PLC
• 2008 honoured by the hosting of the World Swimming SC Championships in the “Duncan Goodhew Aquatic Centre” Manchester
• One of UK’s top six Olympians selected to be on a lotto scratch card raising funds for 2012
• Torch bearer for the 2008 Olympic Games
• MBO of Limelight Projects
• 2009 Ambassador and consultant to British Gas and its swimming sponsorship
• 2010 500,000th Child learns to swim in the Southern Water Learn to Swim Programme which he fronts
• 2011 Appointed by the British Olympic Association as an ambassador to TEAM GB 2012
• Limelight Sport winning The Sports Industry Sports Agency of the Year