New Denver’s Olympian swimmer dies at 94

A former New Denver resident who swam for Great Britain at the 1948 summer Olympics in London has died at 94. Trevor Harrop competed in the 100-meter freestyle and finished 27th out of 41 swimmers.

At the time, he was a dental student and had to coax his reluctant dean to give him a week off to compete in the games.

“Swimming wasn’t exactly an important part of the dental curriculum,” he recalled in a 2012 interview with the Nelson Star. “Nobody really gave a two-penny damn [about the Olympics].”

Although born in Winnipeg, Harrop’s family moved to Scotland when he was seven.

The ’48 games, coming soon after the Second World War, were extremely low-key, he said. No new venues were built, athletes had to stay in military barracks, and they were subject to food rations like everyone else.

Harrop was among seven swimmers from the town of Motherwell, near Glasgow, to make the Olympic team. His moment of glory was brief. No one was there to wish him well as he entered Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena) and the only person in the audience who cared about his performance was his future wife Sheila, who arrived at the last minute and had no trouble securing a seat.

Harrop was soon riding the train back to Glasgow.

He and Sheila immigrated to Canada in the early 1950s. He started a dental practice in New Denver before moving to Campbell River. Later he helped establish the University of BC’s dental school and taught there for 25 years. He and his wife and children continued to summer in New Denver and moved back there full-time in 1990.

Few knew of his Olympic connection until 2012, when London again hosted the games and the British Olympic Association invited him to attend, along with all other surviving athletes from 1948.

For the past few years, the Harrops lived on Salt Spring Island. Trevor died on April 9, 10 days shy of his 95th birthday.

Continue Reading

chnv Now playing play

ckkc Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Tom Wayman book launches in Nelson and Nakusp

West Kootenay author Tom Wayman will launch his newest collection of poems, Out of the Ordinary, in Nelson and Nakusp later this month.

Creston Valley Chamber slams Baker Street market move

The Creston Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director is calling the City of Nelson’s decision to move the Wednesday Farmers’ Market “insulting.” 

Zoey – a dog with a mix of everything!

This weeks Summit Radio Pet of the Week from the BCSPCA is Zoey!

BCGEU pushes for inland ferry regulation reform

The BC General Employees Union is calling on the province to take a stronger role in regulating inland ferry services, following a bitter five-month labour dispute that severely impacted Kootenay Lake communities. 

Fatal crash claims the life of 17-year old from Proctor

Nelson RCMP are searching for witnesses in relation to a fatal collision that claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl from Proctor. 
- Advertisement -