Steve PARRY

Steve Parry had already been a European junior champion before he left his native Liverpool to study at Florida State University, and during his time in America won the NCAA 200 butterfly title. He arrived at the Sydney Olympics as a medal contender but could only finish in sixth place in the final which was a performance he believed to have been spoilt by over-training. Four years later he set matters right by winning a bronze medal behind Michael Phelps. In other championships he was third in the 200 fly at the 1997 European Championships, a silver medallist at the same event at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and two times a bronze medallist at the Commonwealth Games.

His only major international title came in 2002 when he was a European Short Course Champion over his favourite 200 metre butterfly event. Parry retired from the pool following the Athens Olympics and joined the BBC as part of swimming coverage on both television and radio.