View source for Jamie Baulch

{{Short description|Welsh sprinter (born 1973)}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name             = Jamie Baulch
| nationality      = British (Welsh)
| image            = 
| image_size       = 
| caption          = 
| sport            = [[Sport of athletics|Athletics]]
| event            = 400m
| club             = [[Cardiff AAC]]
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1973|5|3|df=yes}}
| birth_place      = [[Nottingham]], England
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| height           = 1.75 m
| medaltemplates   = 
{{MedalSport | Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Olympic Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Atlanta]] | [[Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[IAAF World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|1997 Athens]] | [[1997 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1999 Maebashi]] | [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 400 metres|400 m]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1997 Paris]] | [[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 400 metres|400 m]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships|2003 Birmingham]] | [[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's 400 metres|400 m]] }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[European Athletics Championships|European Championships]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1998 European Athletics Championships|1998 Budapest]] | [[1998 European Athletics Championships – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[2002 European Athletics Championships|2002 Munich]] | [[2002 European Athletics Championships – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{WAL}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Commonwealth Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[2002 Commonwealth Games|2002 Manchester]] | [[Athletics at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
{{MedalBronze | [[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]] | [[Athletics at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|4 × 400 m relay]] }}
}}

'''James Stephen Baulch''' (born 3 May 1973) is a retired Welsh [[Sprint (running)|sprint]] [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]] and television presenter. He won the [[400 metres]] gold medal at the [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1999 World Indoor Championships]]. As a member of British [[4 × 400 metres relay]] teams, he won a gold medal at the [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|1997 World Championships]], and got the silver medal at the [[1996 Summer Olympics|1996 Olympic Games]]. He represented [[Wales]] at the [[Commonwealth Games]] where he got an individual silver and a bronze medal in the 4 × 400 m relay.

== Athletics career ==
===Early career===
Baulch made his debut for the GB & NI team at a Junior International in [[Salamanca]], Spain, in 1991, winning the 200 m and breaking the Welsh record in that race. Baulch then changed his distance preference becoming a 400 metres specialist. Baulch particularly excelled at running the distance indoors (where races are usually run on 200 m tracks rather than outdoor tracks which are 400 m long). He won the 400 m gold medal at the [[IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]] in 1999, and also claimed silver and bronze medals at the event in 1997 and 2003.

In 1993 Baulch ran a Welsh record 46.50 at Sheffield in his first individual race at the distance since 1990,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} and he made a breakthrough in 1995 when he progressed to 45.14.

===1996-99===
In 1996 Baulch ran a 44.19 second leg for Britain's Olympic silver medal team that set a European record,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} and set his fifth Welsh record with 44.57.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Baulch was a member of the British [[4 × 400 m relay]] team which finished second in the 1997 World Championships. However, on 7 January 2010, it was announced the British team were to be awarded the gold medal as they were beaten by a United States team which included [[Antonio Pettigrew]], who subsequently admitted to having taken performance-enhancing drugs, thus disqualifying the US team.<ref>{{cite news|date=7 January 2010|title=GB relay heroes finally honoured|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/8445003.stm|access-date=11 September 2020|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> Baulch received his World Championship gold medal in May 2010 and, although he was happy, he said: "It would have been great to have been in front of 80,000 people up on the rostrum...nothing can replace that. This is a second best unfortunately, but it's nice to be recognised".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8674423.stm|title=Welsh athletes Baulch and Thomas finally hold the gold|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 May 2010|access-date=4 June 2010}}</ref>

In 1997 he set Welsh indoor records at 46.36 and 46.13 before breaking [[Todd Bennett]]'s 12-year-old UK and Commonwealth indoor record of 45.56 with 45.39 at the UK Trials and then took the World Indoor silver behind [[Sunday Bada]] (Nigeria). Later he made the World final outdoors with a season's best 44.69 in the semis and ran a 44.08 third leg on the British silver-medal relay team.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

In 1999 he won all of his five competitions at 400 m,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} including taking the gold medal at the World Indoor Championships in [[Maebashi]], Japan{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} and running a best time of 45.60 in [[Birmingham]].

Outdoors he had a best of 44.82 in [[Lausanne]], which he followed with a clear win at the AAAs in 45.36. At the World Championships he had four individual runs in the low-45s, again making the final, and ran a 44.24 anchor leg for the British team that went out in the heats of the 4 × 400 m.

===2000-03===
In 2000 Baulch won over 400 m at the European Cup and had a season's best of 45.06, but had a disappointing Olympic Games, going out in the heats of the 400 m in 46.52, although producing a final leg of 44.65 to ensure that Britain made the final of the relay.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Baulch was selected as captain of the British team at the 2001 World Indoors, but had to withdraw through injury and struggled for form in the summer, with a season's best of 46.15 in the heats at Edmonton, where he ran an encouraging 44.4 second leg for the British team in the final of the World 4 × 400 m. With an individual best of 46.01, he was again seen to best effect in relays in 2002, with a third leg of 45.1 to help Britain to victory in the European Cup 4 × 400 m and a third leg of 44.5 for the Welsh team that took the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in a race against England.

He came back to form in 2003 with two bronze medals at the World Indoors,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} when he ran 45.99 to share the individual bronze medal with Paul McKee and in the relay. He ran a solid third leg for the British 4 × 400 m team at the European Cup, but had a disappointing outdoor season with a best of 46.43.

=== Change of coach ===
Baulch left coach [[Linford Christie]] in a bid to revive his athletics career, moving to [[Atlanta]] with new trainer [[Innocent Egbunike]] of Nigeria,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} a 4 × 400 m bronze medallist at the 1984 Olympics and a silver medallist in the individual 400 m at the world championships in 1987.

== Media career ==
In 1999 and 2000, Baulch hosted the British children's series ''Energize!'' He has also appeared on ''[[A Question of Sport]]'', and finished third in the [[BBC]] programme ''[[Superstars (British TV programme)|Superstars]]'' in 2003.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} He was a trainee ranger in ''[[Safari School]]'', broadcast in January–February 2007,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} and competed in ''[[Celebrity Mastermind]]'' in 2014.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} His specialist subject was the musician, Prince.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} Baulch became part of a circus act on [[Cirque de celebrite]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

An Olympic special of ''[[Dancing on Ice]]'' aired in July 2012, before the London [[2012 Summer Olympics]]. It featured medal-winning Olympic athletes, including Baulch.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

== Post-Athletics and business ventures ==
After his retirement from athletics in 2005 Baulch set up several different businesses including Definitive, a sports management company and sports memorabilia company Authentic Sports.
Baulch also launched fundraising platform uWin,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://igaming.news/news/2020-11-04/the-magic-touch-uwin-breaks-records-with-harry-potter-quiz-raffle|title=The Magic Touch: uWin Breaks Records with Harry Potter Quiz Raffle|first=Abigail|last=Moses|date=4 November 2020|work=iGaming News|accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref> and silent auction hosting company, BidAid.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cardiff-times.co.uk/jamie-baulch-launches-bidaid-a-new-fundraising-resource-for-charities/|title=Jamie Baulch launches BidAid – A new Fundraising Resource for Charities|date=9 March 2018|work=Cardiff Times|accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>

Baulch is part-owner of fashion brand Crow & Jester.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
Baulch is also known{{by whom|date=January 2022}} to be actively involved with [[Jaguar Cars]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} From 2009- 2015 Jamie was an Ambassador for the Jaguar Academy of Sport,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} playing a key role in mentoring the next generation of British sporting talent.

Jamie heads up The "21 Day ShapeUp by the Family" online challenge.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Baulch also became a squad member for the Welsh touch rugby team in 2010 which won the European cup later that year.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

== Charity work ==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2022}}
* Jamie Baulch has been involved with a Welsh charity called [[Tŷ Hafan|Ty Hafan]], a children's hospice.
* Baulch also competed in race against a racehorse raising money for [[Barnardos]].
* Baulch also ran in the [[London Marathon]] in 2011 raising money for Barnardos.
* Baulch is now the proud Founder and owner of [https://bidaid.com BidAid], an online charity auction business which has helped raised millions for worthy causes. Launched in 2016, BidAid provides tech solutions and bespoke memorabilia for virtual, hybrid and live events. It also offers industry leading event auction software, designed specifically for charity fundraising.

== Trampolining ==
Baulch excelled as a [[trampoline|trampolinist]] in his youth, and won a silver medal at the Welsh Schools Trampoline Championship in 1991.

== Family and personal life ==
Baulch was born in Nottingham, but raised by adoptive parents in [[Risca]], near [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], Wales.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/gwentnews/8202826.Gwent_athlete__Jamie_Baulch_to_challenge_racehorse_over_100_metres/|title=Gwent athlete, Jamie Baulch to challenge racehorse over 100 metres|work=South Wales Argus|date=5 June 2010|publisher=Newsquest Media Group|accessdate=20 January 2022}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=October 2014}}<ref name=bbc>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-29465599 |title=Olympian Jamie Baulch's search for birth mother|date=8 October 2014 |publisher=BBC News| access-date=10 October 2014}}</ref> Baulch is mixed race, his biological parents being a white English mother and a black Jamaican father. In 2014 Baulch made a TV documentary for the [[BBC]], ''Being'' ''Jamie Baulch: Looking for My Birth Mum'', where he tracked down and was reunited with his birth mother.<ref name=bbc /> He then made a follow-up documentary for the BBC, ''Being Jamie Baulch: The Search for My Birth Dad'', in 2016.

== Achievements ==
=== Personal outdoor bests ===
{| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
! Event
! Time (seconds)
! Venue
! Date
|-
| [[100 metres]]
| 10.51
| [[Cardiff]]
| 22 July 1995
|-
| [[200 metres]]
| 20.84
| [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| 24 August 1994
|-
| [[300 metres]]
| 32.06
| [[Cardiff]]
| 31 May 1997
|-
| [[400 metres]]
| 44.57
| [[Lausanne]]
| 3 July 1996
|}

=== Personal indoor bests ===
{| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
! Event
! Time (seconds)
! Venue
! Date
|-
| [[60 metres]]
| 6.76
| [[Birmingham]]
| 22 January 1995
|-
| [[200 metres]]
| 20.84
| [[Birmingham]]
| 26 January 1997
|-
| [[400 metres]]
| 45.39
| [[Birmingham]]
| 9 February 1997
|}

=== Medals ===
{| {{AchievementTable|width=auto|Event=yes}}
| 1992
| [[1992 World Junior Championships in Athletics|World Junior Championships]]
| [[Seoul]], [[South Korea]]
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;100&nbsp;m
|
|-
| 1994
| [[1994 IAAF World Cup|World Cup]]
| London, England
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| 1996
| [[1996 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]]
| [[Atlanta]], United States
| bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
| European record
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1997
| [[1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| Paris, France
| bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
| 400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| [[1997 World Championships in Athletics|World Championships]]
| [[Athens]], Greece
| bgcolor="Gold" | 1st
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| rowspan=3 | 1998
| [[1998 European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]
| [[Budapest]], Hungary
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| [[1998 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
| [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
| bgcolor=CC9966 | 3rd
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| [[1998 IAAF World Cup|World Cup]]
|| [[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]]
| bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| 1999
| [[1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Maebashi, Gunma|Maebashi]], Japan
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| 400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| 2000
| [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]
| [[Sydney]], Australia
| 5th
| [[Athletics at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m]]
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2002
| [[2002 European Championships in Athletics|European Championships]]
| [[Munich]], Germany
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| [[2002 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]
|| [[Manchester]], England
| bgcolor="silver" | 2nd
| 4&nbsp;×&nbsp;400&nbsp;m
|
|-
| 2003
| [[2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]]
| [[Birmingham]], England
| bgcolor=CC9966 | 3rd
| 400&nbsp;m
| tied
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{Olympics.com|jamie-baulch|org_archive=20190626084205}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{IMDb name|2267108}}
{{Footer World Champions 4 x 400&nbsp;m Men|1997}}
{{Footer World Indoor Champions 400m Men}}
{{Footer European Champions 4x400 m Men}}
{{Footer IAAF World Cup Champions 4x400 m Men}}
{{Footer World Junior Champions men's 4x100 metres}}
{{British Indoor Athletics Championships men's 400 metres champions}}
{{Footer Australia NC 400m Men}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baulch, Jamie}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Welsh men sprinters]]
[[Category:British men sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes from Nottingham]]
[[Category:People from Risca]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Caerphilly County Borough]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Newport, Wales]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Welsh Olympic competitors]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Wales]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games athletes for Wales]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Wales]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1994 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:European Athletics Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Black British sportsmen]]
[[Category:Welsh people of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships winners]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in athletics]]