Ludgrove was born to William and Gladys Ludgrove; she has a brother, Terence.[2] Raised in Sydenham, Ludgrove won individual gold medals at 110 yards backstroke and 220 yards backstroke at the 1962 Commonwealth Games. As part of the English team she won silver in the 1962 4×110 yards medley relay.[3] She finished third in the 1962 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.[4]
She competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics in the 4×100 m medley relay and the 100 m backstroke and finished fifth and sixth, respectively.[1] She won three medals at the 1962 and 1966 European Championships.[5]
Ludgrove represented the England team[6] at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica,[7] where she won three gold medals in the swimming events.[8] At the Games, the four of Ludgrove, Diana Harris, Judy Gegan and Pauline Sillett set a world record in winning the 4 x 110 yards medley relay, with a time of 4 mins, 46 secs.[9]
At the ASA National British Championships she won the 110 yards backstroke title five times (1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967) and the 220 yards backstroke title three times (1964, 1966, 1967).[10][11][12][13][14]
She retired from swimming in 1967. After marriage she changed her last name to Lillo.[1]
