View source for Alex Baumann

{{short description|Canadian swimmer (born 1964)}}
{{for|the Swiss bobsledder|Alex Baumann (bobsledder)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox swimmer|
| name           = Alex Baumann <br />{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=CAN|OC|OOnt}}}}
| image          = Alex Baumann (cropped).jpg
| image_size     = 
| alt            =
| caption        = Baumann in 2017
| fullname       = Alexander Baumann 
| nicknames      = "Alex", "Sasha"
| national_team  = Canada
| strokes        = [[Medley swimming|Individual medley]], [[backstroke]]
| club           = Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club
| collegeteam    = [[Indiana Hoosiers|Indiana University]]
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1964|4|21|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Prague|Prague, Czechoslovakia]]
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = {{convert|1.89|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight         = {{convert|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}
{{MedalCountry| Canada}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]] | [[Swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's 200 metre individual medley|200 m medley]]}}
{{MedalGold | 1984 Los Angeles | [[Swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metre individual medley|400 m medley]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[FINA World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1986 World Aquatics Championships|1986 Madrid]]|[[Swimming at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 200 metre individual medley|200 m medley]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 1986 Madrid | [[Swimming at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 400 metre individual medley|400 m medley]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1987 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|1987 Brisbane]] | 200 m medley}}
{{MedalBronze | 1987 Brisbane | 400 m medley}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalGold  | [[1982 Commonwealth Games|1982 Brisbane]] | 200 m medley}}
{{MedalGold  | 1982 Brisbane|400 m medley}}
{{MedalGold  | [[1986 Commonwealth Games|1986 Edinburgh]] | 200 m medley}}
{{MedalGold  | 1986 Edinburgh | 400 m medley}}
{{MedalGold  | 1986 Edinburgh | [[Swimming at the 1986 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 1986 Edinburgh | 4×100 m freestyle}}
{{MedalBronze | 1982 Brisbane | 4×100 m freestyle}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[Swimming at the 1979 Pan American Games|1979 San Juan]] | 400 m medley}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Summer Universiade]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 1983 Summer Universiade|1983 Edmonton]] | 200 m medley}} 
{{MedalGold | 1983 Edmonton | 400 m medley}} 
{{MedalBronze | 1983 Edmonton | 200 m freestyle}} 
}}

'''Alexander Baumann''', {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|OC|OOnt}} (born April 21, 1964) is a Canadian sports administrator and former competitive [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]] who won two gold medals and set two world records at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles. In 2007, he was regarded by the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]], the national broadcaster, as "the greatest swimmer in Canadian history",<ref name=cbcobit>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/legendary-canadian-swim-coach-dies-1.638653 |title=Legendary Canadian swim coach dies |publisher=[[CBC Sports]] |date= March 5, 2007}}</ref> as the twin Olympic gold medals were Canada's first in swimming since 1912.

Since he retired from competitive swimming, he has worked as an administrator in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

In May 2021, Baumann was appointed Chief Executive of Swimming Australia.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-14|title=Alex Baumann Announced as Swimming Australia's New CEO|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/alex-baumann-announced-as-swimming-australias-new-ceo/|access-date=2021-06-30|website=Swimming World News|language=en-US}}</ref> At the end of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, Baumann subsequently resigned the position of CEO in August 2021, citing health reasons.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-08-09|title=Canadian Alex Baumann resigns as Swimming Australia CEO|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/canadian-alex-baumann-resigns-as-swimming-australia-ceo/2021/08/09/99dd55a2-f8cd-11eb-911c-524bc8b68f17_story.html|access-date=2021-08-09|newspaper=Washington Post|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early years==
Born in [[Prague|Prague (former Czechoslovakia)]], Baumann was raised in Canada after his family moved there in 1969 following the [[Prague Spring]]. The family settled in [[Greater Sudbury|Sudbury, Ontario]], where, at the age of nine, Baumann became involved in competitive swimming, training at [[Laurentian University]].

==Olympic career==
By the time he was seventeen, Baumann owned 38 Canadian swimming records and the world record in the 200-metre [[individual medley]]. He accepted a swimming scholarship and entered Indiana University to train under its legendary coach [[James Counsilman|James "Doc" Counsilman]]; however with chronic pain in his shoulder, he made the decision to return to Sudbury to continue physical therapy and training under the direction of his long-time coach, Dr. [[Jeno Tihanyi]]. Forced to sit out the 1982 World Aquatic Championships in Ecuador due to his injury, Baumann's training progressed enough that he was able to win gold in both 200 and 400-metre [[individual medley]] events at the [[1982 Commonwealth Games]] in Brisbane, Australia, lowering his world record in the 200-metre event to 2:02.25 in the process. It was here that he met his future wife Australian swimmer Tracey Taggart. He also won the 400-metre individual medley event at the 1983 [[World University Games]].

Prior to the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles, Baumann's father died of complications from diabetes and his brother, Roman, died by suicide. Baumann persevered through these tragedies, as well as his lingering tendinitis and shoulder injuries, to enter the Olympics as one of Canada's best Olympic hopes.

At the 1984 Olympics, Baumann was selected as Canada's flagbearer for the opening ceremonies. He won gold medals in the 400-metre individual medley, setting a world record time of 4:17.41, and the 200-metre race, lowering the world mark to 2:01.42. The 400-metre gold was Canada's first in swimming since 1912.

Baumann continued his swimming career with three gold medals at the [[1986 Commonwealth Games]] in Edinburgh in the two individual medley events, and swimming anchor on Canada's [[Swimming at the 1986 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4 × 100 m medley relay team]]. However, later that year, he won a silver and a bronze at the [[1986 World Aquatics Championships]] in [[Madrid, Spain]] losing to a 19-year-old [[Hungary|Hungarian]] swimmer, [[Tamás Darnyi]].

Baumann shared a close bond with his coach of 14 years, Dr. [[Jeno Tihanyi]]. After the 1984 Olympics, the two authored a book titled ''Swimming with Alex Baumann: A Program for Competitive and Recreational Swimmers''.

==Sports administration==

Subsequent to the 1987 Pacific Championships in Australia, Baumann retired from competitive swimming, initially working with Canadian broadcaster [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] for the [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Olympics]], and also returning to Sudbury as a coach until 1991. Some speculated that Baumann was unable to find a coaching position due to his outspokenness. He criticized the [[Canadian Olympic Committee]] for dismissing [[Don Talbot]] and replacing him with [[Dave Johnson (swim coach)|Dave Johnson]], as it was widely alleged that Talbot was fired for refusing to put the daughter of a Committee member on the national team. Baumann also criticized [[Swimming Canada]] for its subpar performances at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990.

===1996-2006: In Queensland Australia===
Baumann moved to Australia to enter graduate studies at the University of Queensland before becoming manager of sport programs with the Queensland Academy of Sport between 1996 and 1997. He then held various positions with the Queensland Government before becoming CEO of Queensland Swimming in 1999.

After a poor showing by Canada at the [[2000 Olympics]] in Sydney, Baumann felt he had more to offer Canadian sport, and expressed interest in taking on the vacant leadership position at the [[Canadian Olympic Committee]]; however, the COC felt he did not have the business background to handle the job. Ultimately, Baumann was not offered the Canadian Olympic Committee position. This caused some controversy and criticism in Canada as many Canadian athletes and citizens felt he was the best choice for the job.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060926/baumann_olympics_060927/20060927?hub=TopStories |title=CTV.ca &#124; Alex Baumann back to rejuvenate CDN. Olympics |website=www.ctv.ca |access-date=17 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312083600/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060926/baumann_olympics_060927/20060927?hub=TopStories |archive-date=12 March 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A number of foreign sports organizations felt the same way, and he was courted heavily by the [[English Institute of Sport]] and the [[Queensland Academy of Sport]], ultimately accepting the position of executive director for the Queensland Academy of Sport in 2002.

In 2004, after a dismal showing by Canada at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in Athens, in which they failed to medal and their best finish was sixth place, head coach [[Dave Johnson (swim coach)|Dave Johnson]] was fired. The COC offered Baumann the CEO or head coaching position of [[Swimming Canada]] (Karen Spierkel had resigned as CEO on 3 May 2003 after the controversy surrounding [[Jennifer Carroll (swimmer)|Jennifer Carroll]] waving a Quebec flag on the podium during the 2002 Commonwealth Games)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/coach-s-comments-about-quebec-swimmer-were-inappropriate-and-offensive-1.306453 |title=Coach's comments about Quebec swimmer were 'inappropriate and offensive' |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104152309/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2002/12/13/swimming_flag021213.html |archive-date=November 4, 2012 }}</ref> but he turned both down, saying that he would remain with the Queensland Academy. Several commentators panned Baumann as hypocritical as he was publicly critical of the Canadian swim program for several years from 2000 to 2004, right up to the Athens Olympics {{according to whom|date=August 2021}}. In response, Baumann toned down his criticism.

===2006-2012: Head of Canada's Summer Olympic Program===
On 27 September 2006, the [[Canadian Olympic Committee]] announced that Baumann was hired to take over Canada's Road to Excellence initiative beginning in January 2007. Canada had achieved mediocre results at the 2004 Athens Olympics with a tally of only 12 medals in all events, which resulted in an overall 21st place national showing. These poor results prompted much criticism from Canadians. At that time, Baumann announced a goal for Team Canada: a top 16 finish in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a top 12 finish at the 2012 London Games.<ref>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2006/27/c2456.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930222129/http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2006/27/c2456.html |date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref>

In the [[Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing event]], for the first time Canadian athletes were paid for medals earned. Gold medalists earned [[Canadian dollar|$]]20,000; silver medalists were paid $15,000; and bronze medalists $10,000. A total of $515,000 from the [[Athlete Excellence Fund]] was given to the medal winning athletes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/Sports/Olympics/article/277748 |title=COC rewards Canadian medal winners from Beijing |author=The Canadian Press |access-date=2008-10-24|date=2008-10-11|publisher=[[The Sports Network]] | location=Toronto}}</ref> At the Beijing Olympiad, Canada wound up finishing 19th in gold medals and 14th in total medals,<ref name="CBCMedalcount">{{cite news|url=http://stats.cbc.ca/olympics_medals.asp?sort=gold|title=CBC Olympics – Medals|access-date=2008-08-24|work=CBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080823142629/http://stats.cbc.ca/olympics_medals.asp?sort=gold|archive-date=2008-08-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Baumann's methods were vindicated.

In the [[2012 London Olympic Games]] with the initiation of its "Own the Podium" programme, Canada finished 13th in total medals, thus improving on its performance in Beijing while falling somewhat short of its self-declared goal of 12th position. It finished the event with 18 medals: one gold, five silver and 12 bronze.<ref name="rm1310">{{cite news |title=Canada falls short of medal standing at London 2012 |url=https://www.1310news.com/2012/08/13/canada-falls-short-of-medal-standing-at-london-2012/ |agency=1310 News |publisher=Rogers Media |date=13 August 2012}}</ref>

===2012-2017: Head of High Performance Sport New Zealand===
On 15 January 2012, High Performance Sport New Zealand announced the appointment of Baumann to the role of Chief Executive, effective 31 January 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hpsnz.org.nz/news-events/profile-hpsnz-chief-executive-alex-baumann |title=Profile of HPSNZ Chief Executive Alex Baumann |work=High Performance Sport New Zealand |date=15 January 2012 |access-date=24 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727173304/http://hpsnz.org.nz/news-events/profile-hpsnz-chief-executive-alex-baumann |archive-date=2014-07-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Baumann resigned in June 2017 due to the desire to move back to Australia to be closer to his children and extended family. Whilst he was in this position at the [[2016 Rio Olympics]], New Zealand won 18 medals in nine different sports, of which four were gold.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Anderson|first1=Niall|title=High Performance Sport New Zealand CEO Alex Baumann to step down|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11868538|access-date=7 December 2017|work=New Zealand Herald}}</ref>

===Swimming Australia===
In April 2021 Alex Baumann was appointed as the Chief Executive of Swimming Australia.
In December 2017, [[Swimming Australia]] announced that it had appointed Baumann  to the new role as Swimming Australia's Chief Strategist, High Performance.<ref>{{cite web|title=Olympic gold medallist Alex Baumann to help lead Swimming Australia High Performance strategy|url=https://www.swimming.org.au/NewsCentral/Olympic-gold-medallist-Alex-Baumann-to-help-lead-S.aspx|website=Swimming Australia website|access-date=7 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208122405/https://www.swimming.org.au/NewsCentral/Olympic-gold-medallist-Alex-Baumann-to-help-lead-S.aspx|archive-date=8 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 9 August 2021 Baumann announced his resignation as the CEO of Swimming Australia after only 3 months of tenure, citing health concerns and wanting to spend more time with his family.

==Awards and honours==
Baumann was named Canada's male athlete of the year for 1984 and was made an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]]. He was also named the Male World Swimmer of the Year by ''[[Swimming World magazine]]'' in the same year. In 1988, he was awarded the [[Order of Ontario]].

Baumann was inducted into the [[Ontario Sports Hall of Fame]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alex Baumann |url=http://oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/55-alex-baumann |website=oshof.ca |publisher=[[Ontario Sports Hall of Fame]] |access-date=24 September 2014 |archive-date=27 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227200153/http://oshof.ca/index.php/honoured-members/item/55-alex-baumann |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Baumann was named [[Colonel (Canada)#Honorary ranks and appointments|Honorary Colonel]] of 412 VIP Transport Squadron of the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] based in Ottawa in June 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/or-re/hc-ch/nr-sp/index-eng.asp?id=11906|title=www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/or-re/hc-ch/nr-sp/index-eng.asp?id=11906 |access-date=September 8, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In 2012, Baumann received the [[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/diamond-jubilee-gala-toasts-exceptional-canadians-1.1226414| title=Diamond Jubilee Gala toasts exceptional Canadians| date=18 June 2012| publisher=CBC| access-date=19 June 2012}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Baumann is married to Tracey Taggart, an Australian swimmer he met during the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games. They married on 30 April 1988, and have two children: Tabitha and Ashton Baumann.

In March 2009, Baumann swam at the Ontario Masters Swim Championships. It was his first swim meet in 22 years. He continued where he left off, beating the world record in the 200 metre individual medley in the 45–49 age group category by more than 3.3 seconds with a time of 2:12.01.<ref name=omsc>[https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/2010wintergames/Look+back+swim/1412506/story.html ]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326091123/http://www.ottawacitizen.com/sports/2010wintergames/Look%2Bback%2Bswim/1412506/story.html |date=March 26, 2009 }}</ref>

His son, [[Ashton Baumann]], is also a swimmer.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ashton Baumann |url=https://olympic.ca/team-canada/ashton-baumann/ |website=Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website |date=25 October 2011 |access-date=5 February 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame]]
* [[List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[World record progression 200 metres medley]]
* [[World record progression 400 metres medley]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070225090949/http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=93 Order of Canada Citation]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070311134550/http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=30d5b377-2ca9-4328-b2fc-be23c92dc544 Baumann returns to rebuild Canada's Olympic Program]
* {{ISHOF}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20150905181854/http://ishof.org/alex-baumann.html archive])
* {{World Aquatics}}
* {{Canada's Sports Hall of Fame}}
* {{Team Canada}}
* {{Olympics.com profile|org_archive=20210428192926}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{CGF|53149}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|before=[[Bill Barrett (swimmer)|Bill Barrett]]|title=[[World record progression 200 metres medley|Men's 200-metre individual medley<br />world record-holder (long course)]]|years=1 August 1980 – 23 August 1987|after=[[Tamás Darnyi]]}}
{{succession box|before=[[Jens-Peter Berndt]]|title=[[World record progression 400 metres medley|Men's 400-metre individual medley<br />world record-holder (long course)]]|years=17 June 1984 – 14 August 1987|after=[[David Wharton]]}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{succession box|title=[[Swimming World Swimmers of the Year|World Swimmer of the Year]]|before=[[Rowdy Gaines]] |after=[[Vladimir Salnikov]]|years=1981}}
{{succession box|title=[[Swimming World Swimmers of the Year|World Swimmer of the Year]]|before=[[Rick Carey]] |after=[[Michael Gross (swimmer)|Michael Gross]]|years=1984}}
{{s-end}}

{{Lionel Conacher Award}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 200 m Individual Medley Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 400 m Individual Medley Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 200m Medley Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 400m Medley Men}}
{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 4x100m Medley Men}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions 200m Medley Men}}
{{Footer Universiade Champions 400m Medley Men}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baumann, Alex}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Australia]]
[[Category:Canadian male backstroke swimmers]]
[[Category:Canadian male medley swimmers]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in swimming]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in swimming]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Canada]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in swimming]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Czech descent]]
[[Category:Czechoslovak emigrants to Canada]]
[[Category:Laurentian University alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Ontario]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Canada]]
[[Category:Olympic swimmers for Canada]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from Queensland]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Greater Sudbury]]
[[Category:Swimmers from Prague]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1979 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers from Ontario]]
[[Category:University of Queensland alumni]]
[[Category:World record setters in swimming]]
[[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games gold medalists for Canada]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for Canada]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1983 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1979 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1982 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]