Gary Binfield (13 March 1966 – 14 March 2008) was a British competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain and England in international events during the 1980s. He specialised in backstroke and individual medley disciplines and achieved notable success at both the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games.
Early life and education
Born in Milton Keynes, England, Binfield developed his swimming talent in the United Kingdom’s national training programmes. Details of his early education and club affiliations are not extensively documented in publicly available sources.
International competition
- 1988 Summer Olympics (Seoul) – Binfield competed in two events, focusing on backstroke. He advanced to the B final of the 200 metre backstroke, finishing last in that final.
- 1986 Commonwealth Games (Edinburgh, Scotland) – Representing England, he swam in backstroke and individual medley events.
- 1990 Commonwealth Games (Auckland, New Zealand) – Binfield again represented England in backstroke and medley races, winning a silver medal as part of the 4 × 100 metre medley relay team.
National titles
Binfield was a dominant figure in British domestic swimming during the mid‑ to late‑1980s:
- ASA National Championship 100 metre backstroke champion (1987, 1989).
- ASA National Championship 200 metre backstroke champion (1986, 1988, 1989).
- ASA National Championship 200 metre individual medley champion (1987).
- ASA National Championship 400 metre individual medley champion (1984).
His fifteen All‑American honours were earned while swimming for the University of South Carolina, where he competed from 1986 to 1989.
Later life and death
After retiring from elite competition, Binfield remained involved in the swimming community, though specific post‑competitive roles are not widely recorded. He passed away on 14 March 2008 in Buford, Georgia, United States, at the age of 42.
Legacy
Binfield is remembered for his contributions to British swimming in the 1980s, particularly his representation at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games and his multiple national titles. He was posthumously inducted into the University of South Carolina’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, recognizing his impact on the university’s swimming program.