Bob McGregor


Robert Bilsand McGregor, MBE, nicknamed the "Falkirk Flyer", is a Scottish former competitive swimmer.

Swimming career

He competed in eight events at the 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal in the 100-metre freestyle in 1964, and finished fourth in the 100-metre freestyle and 4×100-metre freestyle relay in 1968. He was a second favourite for the 1963 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. In 2002 he was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame. Olympic selectors could not believe that he trained in a 25-metre pool in Falkirk when the selectors arrived to critique him prior to the Tokyo Olympics.
McGregor competed at the 1962 and 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, winning a silver medal on each occasion in the 110-yard freestyle.
He is a six times winner of the British Championship in 100 metres freestyle. In the 1963 event he set a world record in the heats and the final. He also won the 1963 200 metres freestyle.

Personal life

He retired from swimming in 1968 and now works as an architect in Glasgow. He lives in Helensburgh with his wife and family. His father, David McGregor, was an Olympic water polo player.