At the 1960 Rome Olympics, nineteen year old Anita Lonsbrough, from Huddersfield, won Gold in one of swimming's most closely fought races.

Her main rival for the women's 200m was German swimmer Wiltrud Urselmann. Just when Anita, and the audience, had thought victory was certain, Urselmann stormed back in a last desperate push. Even the watching BBC commentators became frantic at the unfolding struggle. Anita fought off this attempt and stormed to victory.

Two years later in 1962, she became the first female Sports Personality of the Year and is the first swimmer to have been awarded the MBE.

Anita now works as swimming correspondent for The Times.