Margaret Cooper

Who was Margaret Cooper?

Margaret Joyce Cooper was a British swimmer who competed at the 1928 and 1932 Olympics. In 1928 she won a silver medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay and bronze medals in the 100 m freestyle and 100 m backstroke events. In the 100 m freestyle she finished together with Jean McDowell, but the judges gave the bronze medal to Cooper in a 3–2 vote. Four years later she won a bronze in the 4×100 m freestyle relay and was fourth in the 400 m freestyle and sixth in the 100 m backstroke. Cooper also won one gold, four silver and one bronze medals at the European championships of 1927–1931 and four gold medals at the 1930 British Empire Games.

Cooper was born in Sri Lanka, where her father owned a tea plantation. In 1934 she married British Olympic rowing champion John Badcock. Their son Felix won a bronze medal in rowing at the 1958 British Empire Games.