It’s been a busy summer for South Africa’s Cameron van der Burgh. He won 3 medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, upsetting Adam Peaty for gold in the 50 breast, and claiming bronze in both the 100 breast and the 400 medley relay. Right about that time he announced he would probably retire after the 2020 Olympic Games.
The following month he wed Nefeli Valakenis in Anavyssos, Greece.
The most precious moment of our lives pic.twitter.com/R5SDT1M2F4
— Cameron van der Burgh (@Cameronvdburgh) July 12, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bkwzz5ZgEgH/?taken-by=rykneethling
In August he qualified for Short Course World Championships in the 100 breast at South African Short Course Championships.
And now, in September, he has announced he will be starting a new career in London.
After 30 years in South Africa, the time has come for @nefsi88 and I to take a bold leap and start a new journey in London. Scared, nervous, excited. Too many emotions to convey but one thing is for sure, Forever I will remain proudly South African! 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦
— Cameron van der Burgh (@Cameronvdburgh) September 26, 2018
Van der Burgh will trade his swim suit for a business suit as he embarks on his new career working at Andurand Capital Management, the eponymous hedge fund run by Pierre Andurand, focused on the oil market. He won’t be the only Olympian on the trading floor, though; French gold and silver medalist Clément Lefert has been working there for the last 5 years.
Welcome to @Cameronvdburgh to London and to the AC team! Good luck for the new challenge and looking forward to working with you! I hope @clementlefert will not mind not being the only Olympic champion in the team anymore
— Pierre Andurand (@AndurandPierre) September 27, 2018
Van der Burgh, a three-time Olympian, won gold at the 2012 Games in London in the 100 breaststroke, and added a silver two years ago in Rio. He owns 10 LC World Championship medals (including 2 golds in the 50 breast), 6 SC World Championship medals (2 golds) and 9 Commonwealth Games medals (4 golds, including 3 consecutive golds in the 50 breast). He currently holds the SC world records in both the 50 and the 100 breaststrokes, and previously held LC marks in both events.
#Stud #TripleNoDQDolphin 🙁
That’s how it’s done!
Since it all but says it…this is his retirement announcement, right? Or is he going to attempt to train on the side and still go for 2020 similar to others, e.g. Katie Meili at Georgetown Law?
In June he said he’ll retire after Tokyo. So, not sure if this is an about-face, or a side-hustle.
https://swimswam.com/cameron-van-der-burgh-plans-to-retire-after-2020-olympic-games/
I’ve done work on Andurand deals, that is not a job you can do on the side.
It’s a fairly serious fund, analysts there are lucky to sleep 4 hours a day, never mind swim for that long.
I think this might be it. The nearest HPC is probably Bath, over 2 hours away, so if he kept swimming he’d be training at a small club with facilities far inferior to anything he is used to, and only a 25m pool after London Aquatics shut up shop.
All that aside, it just isn’t possible to work in London finance and have time to be an elite athlete.
Well, having never worked in London finance but having worked in finance elsewhere, it’s entirely possible that a corporation like this would come up with a special program that would allow them to put an Olympian on the payroll and groom him for a 2nd career after retirement. It wouldn’t be the strangest thing that’s ever happened.
At any rate, we’ve asked, so hopefully we’ll get an answer soon.
What a lad! Peaty won’t get a rematch now either.
“rematch”
Cameron has aways been a gentleman. He is bound for success. Congratulations!
Man, this guy has it made. Good for him.