Growing up on the spectrum and with an intellectual impairment, Bailey Conlon felt like he was living in a world that wasn’t quite made for him, a world where he didn’t belong. Then he found swimming, and with it, he found his place, his purpose, his tribe - he feels he belongs.
Now, with the support of Swimming NZ, Bailey is heading to a training camp in Rotorua, specifically for swimmers with an intellectual impairment. With five days of training ahead of him, Bailey is looking forward to pushing himself in the water and, most importantly, connecting with people who understand him.
My name is Bailey Conlon, I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2005. When I was three years old I suffered an ischaemic stroke, my left side became a lot weaker than my right. I immigrated to New Zealand where I took up swimming as part of my therapy to heal, with Sandra Blewett in Auckland. Sandra Blewett was instrumental in ensuring that I learned how to swim in the right way. I will always remember her teaching me "windmill arms" and to "blow and turn". When I moved to Rotorua in 2016 I had to say farewell to Sandra and for a while I did not swim.
In 2018 at age twelve I started swimming again with Tina from Swim Magic. She suggested that I try swimming with David Blackmore who is the coach for the Special Olympics Rotorua Swim Team. My first meet was at Te Awamutu where I achieved my first red ribbons and I was hooked in swimming. Initially I just wanted to win because I hated losing. Now I compete against myself and focus on improving my technique and my times.
My swimming club is Te Arawa Swimming. I am an S14 para swimmer and I have set a number of para New Zealand records ever since I was fourteen. I have also gone on to represent New Zealand at the Virtus Oceania Asia Games in Brisbane, Australia. My coach is Henk Greupink. He is from Holland and he has been coaching me since 2018.
I am in Mainstream Year 13. My favourite subjects are English and Sports Science. I attend Western Heights High School in Rotorua.
I am skilled at swimming, namely freestyle and breaststroke. I am dedicated towards my training and sports, I train two hours every morning and an hour and a half every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I enjoy creative writing and gaming.
I enjoy learning about the world and various subjects, such as physiology and sports science.
#SWIMMING #FRIENDSHIP #TRIBE #TEAM #ACHIEVEMENT #GOALS #PLACE #MATES
What achievements are you proud of?
Representing New Zealand as part of the S14 New Zealand Team at the Virtus Oceania Asia Games in Brisbane 2022
Forsyth Barr BOP Sports Awards 2022 - Finalist
Holding or Breaking the following S14 NZ Open Records:
50m Breaststroke SB14
100m Freestyle S14
200m Freestyle S14
400m Freestyle S14
400m Freestyle S14
800m Freestyle S14
1500m Freestyle S14
Holding or Breaking the following NZ Para Age Group Records:
50m Breaststroke SB14
100m Individual Medley SM14
50m Freestyle S14
100m Freestyle S14
200m Freestyle S14
400m Freestyle S14
400m Freestyle S14
800m Freestyle S14
1500m Freestyle S14
Forsyth Barr BOP Sports Awards 2021 - Winner Young Disabled Sports Person of the Year
What are some of your strengths?
What skills are you working on?