Helen Varcoe

{{Short description|English swimmer (1907–1995)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Helen Varcoe

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| fullname = Helen Gradwell Varcoe

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| national_team = {{GBR2}}

| strokes = Freestyle

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1907|2|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Croydon, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1995|5|7|1907|2|18|df=y}}

| death_place = Truro, England

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{{MedalSport | Women's swimming}}

{{MedalCountry | Great Britain}}

{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games}}

{{MedalBronze | 1932 Los Angeles | 4×100 m freestyle}}

}}

Helen Gradwell Varcoe (18 February 1907 – 7 May 1995), later known by her married name Helen Nicholls, was an English competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/helen-varcoe-1.html |title=Helen Varcoe |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613061206/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/helen-varcoe-1.html |archive-date=2015-06-13 |access-date=2 June 2015}} Varcoe won a bronze medal swimming the anchor leg for the British women's team in the 4×100-metre freestyle relay, together with her teammates Joyce Cooper, Valerie Davies and Edna Hughes.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/GBR/summer/1932/SWI/ |title=Great Britain Swimming at the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Games |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613053622/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/GBR/summer/1932/SWI/ |archive-date=2015-06-13 |access-date=2 June 2015}} The British women finished third with a time of 4:52.4, behind the Americans (4:38.0) and Dutch (4:47.5), and ahead of the Canadians (5:05.7).{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1932/SWI/womens-4-x-100-metres-freestyle-relay.html |title=Women's 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025091503/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1932/SWI/womens-4-x-100-metres-freestyle-relay.html |archive-date=2012-10-25 |access-date=2 June 2015}}

Varcoe was born in Croydon, London, and died in Truro, Cornwall.England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: Helen Gradwell Varcoe; Apr-May-Jun quarter 1907; District: Croydon; Volume: 2a; Page: 255.