Olympic champion swimmer Wilkie dies aged 70

British Olympic swimming champion David Wilkie has died at the age of 70.

The Scot won 200m breaststroke gold in Montreal in 1976 as well as two Olympic silver medals and three world titles.

His family released a statement saying: “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.”

Born in Sri Lanka to Scottish parents, Wilkie won his first major medal with a bronze at the 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.

World Championship gold followed in 1973 and two years later he completed a 100m and 200m breaststroke double at world level.

Wilkie's crowning moment came with an extraordinary performance in Montreal, with his Olympic triumph taking over three seconds off the world record time.

Unbeaten over 200m for four years, he chose to retire one month after the Games at the age of 22.

Voted British Sports personality of the year in 1975, Wilkie was awarded an MBE in 1977.