Canadian swimmer Alexander (Alex) Bauman twice won the title of champion of the 1984 Olympic Games and managed to win the respect of his fellow citizens. Since childhood, "Sasha" did not see himself without sports, and already at the age of 17 his successes were colossal.
Biography of Alexander Bauman
The future Canadian sports legend Alexander Baumann was born in Prague, and 5 years later his family was overtaken by the Prague Spring. I had to urgently pack up and flee to the Canadian city of Sudbury, Ontario. Here the 9-year-old "Sasha" took up swimming for the first time.
Bauman trained hard at Laurentian University and achieved tremendous success by his youth. In 1981, Alex set one world sports record and 38 in his country. Indiana University accepted him for an athletic scholarship.
Career of Alexander Bauman
Bauman's mentor was the famous Indiana University team coach and several Olympic teams. Chronic shoulder pain changed Alex's plans - he had to move back to Sudbury under the guidance of old coach Geno Tihany. Alexander continued training and went to physiotherapy courses, but he had to refuse to compete at the 1982 World Aquatics Championships due to injury.
In the same year, Bauman participated in the Commonwealth Games and won gold in Australian Brisbane at distances of 200 and 400 meters: Alex won the individual complex swimming. Here, the Canadian athlete conquered a new peak - he improved his world record at a distance of 200 m.
Alexander's career developed rapidly - he participated in the International University Games, where at a distance of 400 meters in 1983, "Sasha" became the winner in the individual complex swimming. Next year's Olympic Games were marred by family troubles and lingering shoulder pains for Alex.
Alexander was one of those athletes on whom the coaches of the Canadian national team and fans pinned great Olympic hopes - the swimmer could not let his country down. For the first time since 1912, Canada has won the gold medal in the 400-meter distance in individual complex swimming - in the same discipline and at this stage, Bauman set a new world record. Alex takes the first and 200 meters.
After the 1984 Olympics, Alexander was awarded several awards and titles:
- recognized as the best Canadian athlete of the year;
- awarded the title of Officer of the Order of Canada;
- awarded the title of Best Swimmer in the World according to the magazine "Swimming World".
1986 for Bauman was marked by two major competitions: the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and the World Championship. At the first competition, Alexander won three "gold" - in individual complex swimming and relay 4x100 m. At the Championship Bauman took second and third places.
In 1987, Alex said goodbye to one of the stages of his sports career and left sports swimming after the Pacific Championship. Alexander Bauman continued his work in sports as a commentator and coach.
Personal life of Alexander Bauman
Many stages of Alex's personal life are associated with his participation in competitions. At the 1982 Commonwealth Games, "Sasha" was attracted to Tracy Taggart, the Australian athlete who later became his wife. In 1984, the Olympic Games brought Bauman not only victories in sports, but a chain of family troubles: the death of his father from complications after diabetes, the suicide of his brother.
