Australian swimmer
Andrew James Baildon (born 25 August 1971) is an Australian former freestyle and butterfly swimming champion, who represented Australia in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Early life and family
Andrew was born on 25 August 1971, on the Gold Coast, Australia. His father, Gary Baildon AM, was Mayor of the City of Gold Coast from 1997 to 2004, has been awarded Knight of Grace (Order of St John), Doctor of the University (Griffith 2005),[1] The Centenary Medal, The 1995 Australian Tourism Council Award, Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary International), in 2010 Gary was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), is the 2016 Gold Coast Citizen of the Year[2] and returned to local government in 2016 as a Gold Coast Councillor.[3]
Andrew has 2 sisters, Kate (deceased) and Anna.
At the age of two, Andrew sank to the bottom of his family's pool and nearly drowned and his older sister, Kate, saved him. His mother, Kathy, promptly booked him into swimming lessons five days a week and so began his swimming career.
Andrew studied at The Southport School (TSS) from 1979 to 1988, was the Kaiser House Captain and School Foundation Prefect, attained TSS Sporting Colours in Year 9 and became Cadet Under Officer in the TSS Cadets.
As a 16-year-old schoolboy, Andrew was the youngest male selected to represent his country at an Olympics (Seoul 1988) since Australian Michael Wenden (dual Olympic Swimming Gold Medallist, World Record Holder and Commonwealth Champion). As well as equalling Wenden's record of four gold medals at a single Commonwealth Games, Andrew became his son-in-law when he married Karen Wenden (1989 Miss Universe Miss Photogenic, Queensland state level swimming champion) at The Southport School (TSS) in 1998.
Andrew was a Foundation Student[4] at Bond University from 1989 to 1995, attaining a Bachelor in Communication (Marketing).
Andrew and Karen have two children, a daughter, model Yasmin, and son, Flynn, a competitive swimmer.
Career
Andrew was a medalist at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand where he became the first swimmer in the Commonwealth to break the 50-second barrier for the 100 m freestyle, breaking his own Commonwealth record to win gold (49.80s), and the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada. He was a medalist in the 4 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.[5]
In 1990, Andrew achieved the No. 1 World ranking for 100 m Butterfly (Short Course).
Andrew was the Australian Team Representative for over a decade, an Australian record holder for the 50 and 100-metre freestyle from 1989–1996 and the Commonwealth record holder for most of that period. He was ranked in the top twenty swimmers in the world for over a decade.
Representing Australia
Andrew was the Australian Team Captain in 1993 and 1994 (when Australia achieved one of its best pool Commonwealth Games performances in Canada) and the Australian Team Representative for over a decade.
Andrew was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for this service to sport.
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games:
- Ambassador, Commonwealth Games Bid in St Kits & Nevis, instrumental in successfully bringing the 2018 Commonwealth Games to the Gold Coast, 2016
- Member of the Sport & Technical Committee
- Chairman of the Athletes Advisory Board
- Australian Commonwealth Games Team Attaché
- Member of the Queensland State Government's Legacy Committee
Australian Government – Australian Sports Foundation Limited
Board Member, 2018 (current)
Honours
Australian Sports Medal June 2000[6]
- Sydney 2000 Olympic Torchbearer with his father Gary Baildon AM. Andrew was invited to light the Cauldron for the Gold Coast.
- 2006 Commonwealth Games Baton Relay, Melbourne
- 2018 Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay, Gold Coast
- 2018 Invited to "A Celebration of the Commonwealth" at Buckingham Palace, in the presence of the Queen and other members of the royal family.
- 2018 Awarded the Keys to The City of Brisbane with the Australian Commonwealth Games Team, 2018
Business
Andrew and his wife Karen operate Baildon Group, encompassing
