Andrew James Baildon (born 25 August 1971), is an

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

former

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott Laboritories Media * '' FreeStyle'', ...

and

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

swimming champion, who represented

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

in the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

, and the

1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics (, ), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (, ) and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994 ...

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Early life and family

Baildon was born on 25 August 1971, on the Gold Coast,

. His father,

Gary Baildon Gary Baildon (born 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as mayor of the Gold Coast from 1994 until 1995, and again from 1997 until 2004. Early life Baildon was born in Nambour and moved to the Gold Coast in the 1960s. Politica ...

, was

mayor of the Gold Coast The Mayor of the City of the Gold Coast is presiding officer and public face of the Gold Coast City Council, the local government body of the Gold Coast, Queensland. The current mayor is Tom Tate. The mayor is charged with representing the c ...

from 1994 to 1995, and again from 1997 until 2004. He has been awarded Knight of Grace (Order of St John), Doctor of the University (Griffith 2005), The Centenary Medal, The 1995 Australian Tourism Council Award, Paul Harris Fellow (

Rotary International Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. The self-declared mission of Rotary, as stated on its website, is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and p ...

), in 2010 Gary was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), he was the 2016 Gold Coast Citizen of the Year, and returned to local government in 2016 as a Gold Coast Councillor. Baildon studied at

The Southport School The Southport School (TSS) is an independent Anglican early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Southport, a suburb on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia. Established in 1901 by the Revd Horac ...

(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, Baildon was the youngest male selected to represent his country at an Olympics (Seoul 1988) since Australian

Michael Wenden Michael Vincent Wenden, (born 17 November 1949) is a champion swimmer who represented Australia in the 1968 Summer Olympics and 1972 Summer Olympics. In 1968 he won four medals: gold in both the 100- and 200-metre freestyle (setting world reco ...

(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, Baildon 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. Baildon was a Foundation Student at

Bond University Bond University is Australia's first private university, private not-for-profit university and is located in Robina, Queensland, Robina on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Since its opening on 15 May 1989, Bond University has primarily been a teachi ...

from 1989 to 1995, attaining a Bachelor in Communication (Marketing). Baildon has two children with his wife Karen, Yasmin and Flynn.

Career

Andrew was a medalist at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand where he became the first

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

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 The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships is a long course swimming event first held in 1985.Australian Sports Medal The Australian Sports Medal is an award given to recognise achievements in Australian sport to commemorate Australian participation in major sporting events. Original recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, off ...

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 Swimming

Board Member: * Australian Swimming, 2018 * Australian Sports Foundation, 2018 (current) * ASCTA, 2018 Guest Speaker: * ASCTA Swim Conference, 2018 * National Australian Swim Conference, 2009

Australian Government – Australian Sports Foundation Limited

Board Member, 2018 (current)

Television

*FOX Sport Swimming Commentator: 2000

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

Swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

Trials *Channel 7 Expert Swimming Commentator: 2000 Sydney Olympic Games

Honours

Australian Sports Medal The Australian Sports Medal is an award given to recognise achievements in Australian sport to commemorate Australian participation in major sporting events. Original recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, off ...

June 2000 *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 * Andrew Baildon's Superfish Swim Schools, Brisbane and Gold Coast, specializing in "Learn to Swim" and Drowning Prevention programs. * Jetts Fitness Coomera * Jetts Fitness Pacific Pines * Jetts Fitness Pimpama * Opened the inaugural Andrew Baildon Aquatic Centre on the Gold Coast in 1996 with wife Karen (daughter of swimming great Michael Wenden) teaching over 1000 children per week in the first year. * Bachelor of Business, Communication (Marketing), Bond University, 1989–1995 (Foundation Student)

Awards

* South-East Queensland Business Achievers Award for Sport and Recreation, 2006 * Swim Australia Best Swim School for Marketing, Promotion and Customer Service, 2017

References

External links