Jamie Baulch

Biography:

Jamie Baulch enjoyed a career spanning 15 years at the top of world class athletics. Since retiring in 2005, he has starred in several reality TV shows and directed several business ventures including the Jamie Baulch Academy and WRU Memorabilia, a range of Welsh rugby memorabilia. 

His talent for running was spotted by his Headmaster, Eric Atkins, on sports day at Henllys Junior School in Newport. He encouraged Jamie to join Newport Harriers and Jamie never looked back. Jamie developed into one of the big personalities of the British athletics team, recognised by his peroxide dreadlocks for many years, which led to a promotional campaign with Vidal Sassoon.

Jamie made his debut for the GB & NI team at a Junior International in Salamanca, Spain, in 1991. He burst onto the international scene, winning the 200m and breaking the Welsh record in that race.

In his first year competing over 400m, he was selected for the 1996 Olympic Games and won Silver as part of the 4x400m quartet. He became World Indoor Champion in 1999 and still holds the British Indoor record over 400m set in 1997. Jamie won 11 medals at Olympic Games, World and European Championships and Commonwealth Games.

He campaigned for his team’s World Championship Gold medals from 1997 to be presented to the 4x400m quartet including Iwan Thomas, Roger Black and Mark Richardson after a 13 year wait. This followed the disqualification of the USA team after Antonio Pettigrew admitted doping in 2007.