Robin Dixon, 3rd Baron Glentoran

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Bobsleigh
Olympic medal record
Gold	1964	2-man bobsleigh

Major (Thomas) Robin Valerian Dixon, 3rd Baron Glentoran CBE (b. 21 April 1935) is a former British bobsledder and Northern Irish politician, known before 1995 as Robin Dixon.

Dixon was educated at Eton and Grenoble in France and after university, he served with the Grenadier Guards from 1954 to 1966. In 1964 he was granted leave from the army to participate in the 1964 Winter Olympics at Innsbruck and it was here that he won the Gold medal with fellow bobsledder, Tony Nash and was awarded a MBE a year later. He later retired from the army in 1966 with the rank of Major and went on to work for Kodak in their public relations department and in 1971 joined the Northern Irish business, Redland Tile and Brick Ltd., which he built up into a multi-million pound subsidiary and became Managing Director.

Upon the death of his father, the 2nd Baron Glentoran, Dixon inherited his title and retired from business in 1998. Lord Glentoran has retained his sporting links throughout his life: he was President of the Jury at the 1976 Winter Olympics, set up the Ulster Games Foundation in 1983, was appointed Chairman of the Northern Ireland Tall Ships Council in 1987 and has been President of the British Bobsleigh Association since 1987.

Aside from his sporting career, he was Chairman of Positively Belfast from 1992 to 1996, Chairman of the "Growing a Green Economy" Committee from 1993 to 1995 and has been Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland, Shadow Minister for Sport and Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He is also a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Body and was awarded a CBE in 1993 for services to Northern Ireland and Industry.

Lord Glentoran is one ninety elected hereditary peers that remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999, and sits on the Conservative benches.

Lord Glentoran has three sons from his first wife, Rona (divorced in 1975) and currently lives with his third wife, Margaret, in their family home, Drumadarragh House in Ballyclare.