Duncan Goodhew

Duncan Goodhew is a British former swimmer who won Olympic 100m breaststroke gold at the 1980 Moscow Games after overcoming alopecia and dyslexia.

Duncan Goodhew arrived at the 1980 Moscow Olympics having already overcome a fall-induced alopecia diagnosis at ten and dyslexia at thirteen, and left with gold in the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:03.34 — a performance that made him one of Britain's most recognizable sporting figures of the era. At age ten, a fall from a tree triggered alopecia universalis, leaving him permanently bald, and he was later diagnosed with dyslexia at thirteen — two conditions he has said shaped his lifelong drive to prove himself. Educated at Millfield School, he made his Olympic debut at the 1976 Montreal Games while still a student, finishing seventh in the 100m breaststroke, before earning a swimming scholarship to North Carolina State University in the United States, where he trained under coach Don Easterling. Goodhew's international career built steadily through the late 1970s: silver medals in both individual breaststroke events plus the medley relay at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, and a bronze in the medley relay at the 1978 World Championships in Berlin. He captained the Great Britain swimming team from 1978 to 1980, and his preparation for the Moscow Olympics included a training stint with coach David Haller. In Moscow, four years after compatriot David Wilkie had won the same event, Goodhew touched first in the 100m breaststroke final in 1:03.34 to retain the British title, ahead of the Soviet Union's Arsens Miskarovs and Australia's Peter Evans, and added a bronze in the 4x100m medley relay. After retiring from competition, Goodhew became a prominent media personality, motivational speaker, and author, co-writing the book Sink or Swim with Victoria Hislop. He co-founded the Youth Sport Trust and has spent decades campaigning against bullying, drawing on his own experience of being teased for his baldness as a schoolboy. He was appointed MBE for his services to sport.

Breaststroke specialist

Prominent advocate against bullying and co-founder of the Youth Sport Trust, using his own story of overcoming alopecia and dyslexia to inspire others

• Olympic 100m breaststroke gold (1980)
• Olympic 4x100m medley bronze (1980)
• 2x Commonwealth Games silver (1978)
• Captain of Great Britain swimming team (1978-1980)