Swinnertons in Sport

This celebrates the Swinnertons who have excelled at various sports - especially in cycling.


Bernadette Swinnerton English racing cyclist; won silver in the 1969 World Championship Road Race in Brno Czechoslovakia and a collection of Golds in the British National Championships, both on the road and track.
(See Wikipedia article).
Catherine Swinnerton English racing cyclist; rode in seven British National road race championships, winning in 1977 and 1984 and was never below 3rd. Her total of national championship medals, both on the road and track, must be a record. She rode the first Ladies Tour de France almost winning the final stage in Paris being pipped into second place on the line. She competed in many world championships on both the road and track. She rode the 1989 Olympic Road Race in America. (See Wikipedia article).
Jane Swinnerton Jane Heather Swinnerton, the daughter of our former member John Gerald and Betty (nee Sutcliffe) was born at Erdington in 1954 and is a member of the Warwickshire branch of the family. A dedicated hockey player, she won 100 caps for England between 1977 and 1987, later captaining the side for several years. She tied for the most goals scored in the 1991/92 season. In 2010, she was invited to take part in a Legends match prior to the national hockey championship. After retirement from the international scene, she continued to play hockey for Cannock but was also the manager for the England women's field hockey team.
She worked at Cannock Chase High School as a Physical Education teacher until early 2012. She married John Ions in 1993 and they have a son Callum who now also plays for Cannock.
(See Wikipedia article).

Paul Swinnerton Cycling champion and record holder (seen here with brother Paul); dominated the Newcastle track league; many said he was unbeatable on that track. Although prevented by illness from competing in the 1980 Olympic Games (having qualified for the Sprint, Kilo and Team Pursuit) his list of successes is impressive:
  • 1978 won over 300 track and road events in one year and was British Best All-rounder on the track;
  • 1979 National Kilo Champion;
  • 1980 Entered the Guinness Book of Records having gained the World Speed Record, riding at 109 mph unassisted on Rollers;
  • 1981 National Sprint Champion;
  • 1983 National Tandem Sprint Champion partnered by Nigel Bolton.
He competed in the world championships on many occasions. From 1977 to 1983, he was the National Half-Mile and National Five-Mile Grass Track Champion. This in itself is a record - winning the National Championship four times has never been surpassed. Unsurprisingly Paul was now following in the footsteps of his father 40 years earlier. He retired from competitive cycling in 1984. (See Wikipedia article).