When Seoul, South Korea hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, Cochran qualified in three individual events. He was eliminated in the preliminary heats of the men’s 100-metre backstroke, but advanced to the B Finals of the 100-metre butterfly and 200-metre individual medley, finishing sixteenth and eleventh, respectively.

At the ASA National British Championships he won the 100 metres backstroke title in 1988, the 100 metres butterfly title in 1987 and the 200 metres butterfly title in 1987.

Swimming for Scotland at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, he won a bronze in the 200-metre individual medley. He won a gold medal in the 200-metre individual medley at the 1987 Summer Universiade, and a silver as a member of the British men’s team in the 4×100-metre medley relay at the 1987 European Championships.

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, he won two bronze medals. He was a member of the third-place British team in the men’s 4×200-metre freestyle relay, alongside Paul Easter, Paul Howe and Andrew Astbury, finishing behind the Americans and West Germans. In individual competition, he won a second bronze in the 200-metre individual medley, coming third after Canadian Alex Baumann and American Pablo Morales. He also advanced to the B Final of the 200-metre backstroke, finishing fourteenth overall.

As a 17-year-old at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia, he won a bronze medal as a member of the third-place Scottish team in the men’s 4×200-metre freestyle relay, alongside Douglas Campbell, Graeme Wilson and Paul Easter, finishing behind the Australian and English teams.

Neil Cochran (born 12 April 1965) is a male Scottish former competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics, European championships and World University Games, and swam for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games, during the 1980s. Cochran competed in medley and freestyle swimming events.