A graduate of Grey High School in Port Elizabeth, Brian Elliot was coached by his father, Peter Elliot. After completing a one-year stint in the South African Air Force, he trained for six months with American coach Don Gambril at Pasadena College in Los Angeles before winning the 1966 South African 1650-yard freestyle title at nationals in Durban. Brian placed second behind clubmate Geoff Grylls in the 220- and 440-yard freestyle events.

AT the 1966 nationals in Durban, Brian was also a member of the Eastern Province men's freestyle relay team that won both the 4x100 and 4x200m events in new national record times. Three swimmers from the Barracuda SC of coach Peter Elliot - Brian Elliot, Jon Reen and Geoff Grylls held all of the South African freestyle records, and the fourth member, Neil Oldridge, held the 110 m butterfly record! 

At the 1967 South African Championships, Brian Elliot won four titles in the 220-, 440- and 1650-yard freestyle, as well as the 440-yard individual medley events. 

In 1968, at the new Olympic Stadium swimming pool in Bloemfontein, Brian again won the 400m and 1500m freestyle and 400m IM events, missing the 200m freestyle due to illness. Brian was selected for the South African Amateur Swimming Union (SAASU) team to compete at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Unfortunately, the South African team was barred from competing at the Olympic Games from 1964 to 1988.

The 1969 nationals were held at Newlands in Cape Town. Karen Muir set a new world record in the women's 440 yard IM, while Brian won the men's event in a new SA record. He also won the 220 freestyle, placing second to Jim Thorburn in both the 440 and 1650 events. 

Although he was not selected for the Springbok team to tour Europe in 1966, Brian did win national colours for European tours in 1967 and 1969 and against Rhodesia in 1968.

By 1970, Brian quit swimming and began his coaching career in Port Elizabeth, establishing the Aquabear Swimming Club in 1972.

The annual Redhouse River Mile was a feature of swimming in the Eastern Cape since 1924.  Brian's father, Peter Elliot, also a Springbok swimmer, won the Mile four times between 1936 and 1947. Geoff Grylls, also coached by Peter Elliot, won the Redhouse River Mile from 1961 to 1965, after which Brian won the title four times between 1966 and 1970. Brian's brother Derek Elliot won the River Mile in 1972 and 1973. 

Brian Elliot and his brother Derek Elliot at the 1970 Eastern Province Amateur Swimming Association prize-giving. 

Tyrone Tozer, Brian Elliot, Geoff Grylls, 

 1960 Cape Town

1961 Kimberley

Nationals at Kimberley. Australians Jon and Ilsa Konrads, Neville Hayes, Jan Hogan. Click here to see articles of that tour

Tudor Lacey and Warwick Webster both coached by Cecil Colwin.

Griffiths, Boshoff and Cooper in 110 FS all come from Northern Rhodesia, with two other finalists also from Rhodesia

1963 Pretoria

1965 Salisbury

1967 Johannesburg

Canadian swimmers like Elaine Tanner and Ron Jacks toured South Africa during the Karen Muir era -

One of Canada’s finest swimmers of the 1960s, Ron Jacks started swimming at six years old. His family moved to Vancouver from Winnipeg in 1955, and within two years Jacks was enjoying competitive swimming. In his formative years, he trained with the Vancouver “Y” swim club, under Canadian coach Ted Simpson, until its demise in 1966.

While swimming with the ‘Y,’ Ron won many medals at the 1964, 1965, and 1966 national championships, and attended the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo as a member of the Canadian swim team. He would also join the Canadian team for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and the 1972 Munich Olympics.

In April of 1966, after training in California under Olympic coach Don Gambril, Jacks took the bronze in the 100-yard butterfly at the US nationals and won a full athletic scholarship at the University of Indiana. He attended Indiana from 1966-72, and trained under coach Doc Counsilman.

During the summer months, Jacks returned from Indiana to participate in the Canadian championships, winning numerous medals and setting seven Canadian records between 1965-72.

In 1966, at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, Jacks won his first international medals: gold in the 110-yard butterfly, gold in the 440-yard medley relay, and silver in both the 440-yard medley relay and the 880-yard freestyle relay.

Over the next few years he would follow this with a series of international medals: three silver (400m medley relay, 400m freestyle relay, and 800m freestyle relay) at the 1967 Winnipeg Pan American Games, two silver (400m freestyle relay, 800m freestyle relay) and one bronze (100m freestyle relay) at the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia.

In 1972, Jacks retired from competitive swimming and turned to coaching and training many of Canada’s top swimmers, including BC Sports Hall of Famers Shannon Smith (1976 Olympic bronze medalist) and Pam Rai (1986 Commonwealth Games gold medalist).

Nationals at the brand new, heated Stadium Pool. Female Best Swimmer was Katinka Germishuis and Male Best Swimmer Brian Stewart.

Canadian touring team of Elaine Tanner, Jean Warren, Marion Lay and Angela Coughlan in SA again; Karen Muir withdraws injured after day 1.

Click here to see the 1968 nationals program

1968 South African Aquatic Championships Competitors

Canada

Elaine Tanner, Marion Lay, Jane Warden, Angela Coghlan and R Gilcrest (manager)

Griqualand West

Karen Muir, Linda Muir, Nancy Harris, Ingrid Nel, Laura Bush, Duggie du Toit, Andreas Oberholzer

Water polo: M Herrold, D Sneddon, C du Toit, B du Toit, J Otto, K du Toit, L Serfontein, B Perring, A Woodrow, G Jones.

Border

A Feldt, R Bluett, Jonty Skinner, D Badenhorst, J Pemberton, M Drusinsky, M Betteridge, M Shelver, B Powell, V Shelver

Western Province

G Perry, L Ogelsby, B Gould, A Hammond, Neil Duveen, Terry Duveen, R Glatt, B Berk, Ramona van Zyl, J Scott, Jackie Weir, A Firth, G Atkinson, M Sterken, Margo Kramer, R Saltman, E Harris

Water polo: "A"   L Johnson, N Davies, Kevin Fialkov, H Schofman, G Freeling, I Linde, Wally Voges (c), P Hulley, T Jones.   "B"    J Beukes (c), D Fialkov, M Schwer, F Nielsen, C Watt, I Watt, I Strachan, A Fuller

Transvaal

Tyron Tozer, Jim Thorburn, E frank, Jon Reen, Peter Prydekker, R Moss, Tudor Lacey, C Lee, C Turner, Haldon Cheadle, D Pattison, R Bonney, P de Greef, Roy Abromowitz, Lee Mc Gregor, F Simpson, C Figureoa, Dale Hastie, Elizabeth Schabort, S Cree, Lorraine Lang, J Bowden, A Meltzer, M Rollnick, C Hepner, K Watt, M Cullin, W Anderson, L Grant-Stuart

Water polo: "A"  R Anderson, V Kabalin, J Swart, C Dyason, J Otto (c), Derek Kneebone, B Moreby, Hennie Pelser, J Toet    "B"  A Amm, F Bantjes, J Buntman, J Fraser, K Krumm, D Pretorius, M Renwick, D Sacks, J Sacks, R Schreider

Orange Free State

D Smit, J veldman, G van As, G Lewis-Houghting, C McMahan, G de Beer, B Glover, J Bridger, H Phielix, P Herbst, M Smit, Charl Meyer, A du Toit, E Elton, Myra Eager, L van der Poel, L du Plessis, E van der Merwe, Petrusa Gerdener, S Stegmann, E Delport, K Nell, S Erdman, I Steyn, Pietie Horn, M Bellingam, T Casey, S van Biljon, Jeanne Vorster, J Smit, J Dykhoff, N Hoffman, Jane Vorster

Water polo: C Davies, H Hoffman, T Quinn (c), N Saayman, H Oets, M Hamaty, R Muller, M Smit, D Muller, J Rysbergen, J Wilson, B Kelly

Noord Transvaal

Brian Stewart, Harold Pearce, N van der Merwe, J Davey, V Breedt, Martin Lundie, P van Niekerk, Gerhard Braak, J van Niekerk, Laura Knox, S Christiane, Katinka Germishuis, E Malherbe, E van Vuuren, A le Grange, S Viljoen, M Smit

Water polo: H van Zyl, B Kolb, F Botha (c), N Beard, I Nahon, I Hamilton, R Brown, A da Costa, J Botha, R Edwards

Western Transvaal

D White, G Richmond, P Stock, D Coetzee

Water polo: J van Wyk, P Stidworthy, J Preller, H Brewis, D White, A Brown (c), P Timmerman, G Blake, D Vlisnias, W Clarke

Natal

R de Villiers, Ricky Colepepper, Mike Bolstridge, C Milford, L Reznek, D Balmer, O van Renen, R Cleaver, L Adrianse, S Getaz, Colleen Adnams, B Howard, G Vaughn, R Barrett, R Mitchell, Dorothy Armstrong

Water polo: B Edwards, R Goodwin, K Botha, G Knapp, D Collopy (c), F Luttig, J Sutherland, D Port, D Park, E Tocknell, D Campbell

Rhodesia

Rod Hamilto n, A Hodges, A Young, P Mommsen, I Grant-Stuart, R Prior, P Rex-Waller, A Grey, Don Liebermann, RMC Stewart, C Talbert, John Pemberthy, Robin Liebermann, N Gardener, T Fisher, A Mellon, P Peakin, John Keyter, C Swanepoel, J Grey, R Mc Farlane, Kim Brandt, A Norman, P Sanders, P Butler, B Black, K Tyrrell, S Waddilove, P Burden, D Richardson, M Burton, S Oelofse, Jean Burden, G Sanders, B Harris, M Simpson, S Coltman, K Talbert, C Edwards, Lena Pretorius

Water polo: A Dempster, DR Templeton, R Horrocks, I A Markham (c), D Foster, J Neser, M Baillie, B Stone, B Robertson, A Gower, R Jordaan.

Eastern Province

G Richards, Brian Elliot, Ian Walters, N Pearson, A Cooper, Derek Elliot, Andy Will, E Witham, C Blakey-Milner, R May, R Brukman, Sally Henderson, C Henderson, C Freeman, M McGee, Terry Horne, Val Bridgens

Water polo: Mally Richards, B Driscoll, A Holdon, Karl Elfrink, Les Rademan, A Crayston, R Clark, D Robertson, M Ferreira, Geoff Grylls, D Melville

Eastern Transvaal

N Evans, C Adendorff, Mari Bresler, C de Beer, S Lipschitz, B Haine, M Semple, D Landman, Maureen Caplan, G Steynberg, L Torley

Water polo: R Germishuis, L Morris, T Liebenberg, D Stead, R Skinner, M Dykes, F van Niekerk, D Rumble, D Kennedy, J Donker, I Claasens

1969 Eastern Province swimming, diving and water polo team

Competitors at nationals in Newlands, Cape Town 24 - 28 Febraury 1969

United States of America

Ann Peterson

Eastern Transvaal

N Evans, D Martin, P Steynberg, Terry Landman, H Davis, R Bosch, Maureen Caplan, Gerladine Steynberg, E Hirst, M Semple, L Torley, Mari Bresler, B Haine, S Lipschitz, G Haine, E Gildenhuys

Water polo: "A" R Germishuis, T Liebenberg (c), R Skinner, F van Niekerk, D Kennedy, L Morris, M Dykes, Terry Landman, J Lewis.       "B" I Claasens, L Wepener, C Boswell (c), J Donker, J Brook, B Brown, N Clarence, J Pillan, I Campbell

Northern Transvaal

N van der Merwe, R van der Merwe, J van Niekerk, J Davey, Gerhard Braak, P van Niekerk, A Venter, Owen Kuyper, Katinka Germishuis, A le Grange, E Malherbe, A Firth, E Steyn, E van Vuuren, Laura Knox, E McDonald, Terry Duveen, V Breedt, Martin Lundie

Water polo: H van Zyl, B Kolb, F Btha (c), N Beard, Hein Gehle, B Weiringa, N Cronje, H Wagenaar, J Botha, R Edwards

Natal

Mike Bolstridge, R Cleaver, D Hickey, D Kettle, Lee McGregor, C Milford, L Rezek, Colleen Adnams, L Adriaanse, J Duncan, S Foster-Greenwood, S Getaz, B Howard, D Sichel, S Tanner, M Tearle, G Vaughn, Irene van der Linde, D Balmer, D Armstrong, C Kuhn

Water polo: R Goodwin, D Colopy (c), F Luttig, B Daly, N McKenzie, R van der Waal, D Port, K Botha, J Sutherland, Cedric Savage

Western Province

A Oberholzer, J van der Heever, P Weir, Vernon Slovin, T Jonker, C van Niekerk, P Cilliers, H Bradlow, A Hammond, Alistair Cameron-Strange, G Cillers, Neil Duveen, Jackie Weir, Margo Kramer, G Atkinson, R Saltman, E Hugo-Hamman, M Sterken, Ramona van Zyl, B Berk, J Scott, I Scott, S Goldberg, D Southwell, J de Klerk, E Harris

Water polo: "A" J Beukes, T Jones, Kevin Fialkov, D Campbell, N Davies, I Linde, Wally Voges (c), Ian Watt, Gerald Saltman     "B"   D Sabor,  P Parkinson, M Schwer, J Bowman, L Sive,  F Nielsen, D Riach (c), O Haigh, A Fuller

Border

J Murrough, A Feldt, P Steyn, Jonty Skinner, R Bluett, M Betteridge, B Powell, M Drusinsky, S Newbery, V Shelver, M Shelver

Griqualand west

D du Toit, Karen Muir, Nancy Harris, Linda Muir, J Johnson

Orange Free State

G de Beer, B Glover, J Bridger, T Maeder, E Elton, J Stegmann, S Kitsopolous, H Brandt, C Meyer, A du Toit, P du Plessis, D Smit, R McLean, S Stegamnn, Ansie Rietsma, Pietie Horn, E Brandt, I Steyn, S Erdmann, D Meyer, J Smith, E Haumann, M de Zwart, T Casey, J Vorster, Myra Eager, R de Klerk, R Thompson, P Gerdener, B Ardt, K Nell

Eastern Province

K Galloway, G Blakey-Milner, I Burrell, Brian Elliot, N Pearson, I Walters, Derek Elliot, A Cooper, R May, Val Bridgens, Terry Horne, M McGee, Sally Henderson, M McKechnie

Rhodesia

A Mellon, T Fisher, Rob Hatherley, P Pretorius, John Keyter, Rodney Hamilton, R McFarlane, I Grant-Stuart, K Brandt, Ken Borain, A Young, P Mommsen, J Rex-Walker, A Hadley, Terry Rossiter, Don Liebermann, Robin Liebermann, G Sanders, S Oelofse, E Drysdale, Jean Burden, N Gardener, John Pemberthy, Ken Tyrell, D Richardson, M Hoyle, S Coltman, Lena Pretorius, K Talbert, P Sanders, B Black, J Collette, S Waddilove, S Watson, D Metcalfe, Marilyn Burton, S Barbour

South West Africa

Richard Coomer

Western Transvaal

D Coetzee, C Richmond, M van der Walt, I Epstein, B Gordon-Davis, G McEwan, W Zylstra, J Wheeler, K du Plooy

Transvaal

Gary Bonney, Richard Glatt, P de Greef, C Lee, Roy Abromowitz, George Jacobson, S Waddell, J Brink, Jim Thorburn,Tyrone Tozer, Harold Pearce, Peter Prydekker, C Turner, P Edelstein, D Pattison, J Bowden, K Watt, Lorraine Lang, A Lacey, M Rollnick, B Allen, Elizabeth Scharbort, F Simpson, Dale Hastie, Sandra Reeves, D Loveland, S Jaffe

Water polo: "A"  R Anderson, V Kabalin, J Zwart, B Moreby, P Hugo, Derek Kneebone, J Sacks, Hennie Pelser, Billy Otto (c)     "B"   F Bantjes, S Lipschitz, J Buntman (c), M Renwick, D Sacks, R Leigh,  J Toet, J Fraser, D Muller.