Brendan Reilly competed in the men’s high jump at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, clearing 2.20 metres in qualifying but not advancing to the final.

It was his second Olympic Games – he had competed for Great Britain at Barcelona 1992, joint 16th in the qualifying round. Born in Shipley, England, Reilly adopted Irish nationality in August 1999, having married Irish international sprinter Sarah Reilly (née Oxley), who competed for Ireland at the same Sydney Games in the 100 and 200 metres.

A prodigiously talented jumper from his earliest years, he was a five-time English Schools champion, set a world record for 15-year-olds with a clearance of 2.12 metres, and became European and World Schools champion. He broke the British junior record at 17 with 2.27 metres, becoming the first British teenager to clear 2.30 metres, and went on to win four British AAA Championship titles. He won bronze in the high jump at the 1995 World University Games in Fukuoka, competing for Great Britain.

He represented England in the high jump at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, and again in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, setting a personal best of 2.31 metres outdoors in 1992 and 2.32 metres indoors in 1994. His clubs were Belgrave Harriers in Wimbledon and Corby AC.

After retiring from athletics he became a visual artist, with work exhibited through the Art of the Olympians programme.