Andrew first became involved in competitive disability swimming through Disability Sport Fife when a pupil at Glenrothes High School. At the first gala he entered it was clear he had no shortage of energy, a considerable degree of skill and a tremendous determination to win every race he would enter. Perpetual motion is a phrase that has often been used to describe Andrew, and there is no doubt that he was a swimmer of excellence and a class performer on the big occasion.
The first international honour for Andrew was selection for the Scottish team that participated in the European Schools Games in Lisbon in 1994. Selection came as a consequence of several outstanding performances with the Scottish Junior Swim Team at the British championships. Andrew won 17 medals at Paralympic, World or European Championships and for 10 years was undefeated in 100 metres backstroke in the S7 class. Between 1996 and 2008 Andrew won 3 Paralympic medals of which 2 were gold. At three World Championships between 1998 and 2006 he won 4 medals of which 3 were gold. His record in European Championships between 1996 and 2008 is exceptional, winning 10 medals including 5 gold. Andrew competed at the World Championships in South Africa in 2006 and protected his world record.
Unfortunately Andrew just missed out on a medal in his final Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008 when he finished in fourth place.
Andrew was a member of INCAS swimming club where he was coached by Garrie Roberts but latterly was coached at the National Academy in Stirling by Anthony Stickland. Andrew identifies Steve Redgrave and his family as major influences in his life and those who know his mum and dad appreciate exactly why he singled out his parents for special mention.
Andrew has served Fife, Scotland and Great Britain well and remains one of the most successful high performance international Scottish swimmers and one of the first to fully benefit from services provided by the Scottish Institute of Sport. You always expect the unexpected when you are with Andrew but there is no doubt he was an exceptional backstroke swimmer. Now married to Katie, (nee Haining) another of Scotland’s very successful physically disabled swimmers, the Lindsay’s have settled in Cowdenbeath.