Margaret Kelly (swimmer)


Margaret Mary Kelly, MBE, later known by her married name Margaret Hohmann, is an English former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics and FINA world championships, and competed for England in the Commonwealth Games.

Swimming career

Kelly competed in the 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 1980 in the women's 4×100-metre medley relay alongside teammates Helen Jameson, Ann Osgerby and June Croft. At the 1976 Games she had competed in the 100-metre breaststroke, 200-metre breaststroke, and 4×100-metre medley relay, reaching the final in all three events. In 1980 she swam just the 100-metre breaststroke in addition to the relay medal-winning swim, where she finished fourth in the final in a time of 1:11.48. She came out of retirement to compete at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, after giving birth to her first child, Robbie.
She represented England in the backstroke events and the medley relay, at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. Four years later she represented England again and won a silver medal in the 100 metres breaststroke and two bronze medals in the 200 metres breaststroke and medley relay, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. As Margaret Hohmann she was selected for the England team again in the breaststroke events, at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand. She went on to swim at her third Commonwealth Games in 1990 and was a finalist in the women's 100-metre breaststroke at the age of 33.
Kelly won the ASA National Championship title in the 100 metres breaststroke and the title in the 200 metres breaststroke. She also won the 1973 100 metres backstroke title.

Coaching

She has coached the University of Nottingham swim team and is now chief coach at Nottingham Leander Swimming Club.

Personal life

She now lives in Nottingham, has three children Robbie, Suki and Georgia, and works for Nottingham Community Housing Association in resident involvement.