Daniel Bell (Australian swimmer)

Bell began his international career with a bronze medal at the 1999 FESPIC Games in Bangkok, Thailand.^[1] He competed in five events at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics and one a bronze medal in the men's 4x100 m medley relay 34 pts event.^[4] At the 2004 Athens Games, he won a gold medal in the men's 4 x 100 m medley relay 34 points and three silver medals in the men's 100 m butterfly S10, men's 100 m breaststroke SB9 and men's 4 x 100 m freestyle relay 34 points events.^[4][5]

He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for winning the gold medal,^[5] but resigned as a member of the Order and returned the medal on 8 July 2013.^[6] He competed in four events at the 2008 Beijing Games but did not win a medal.^[4]

At the 2002 IPC Swimming World Championships in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, he won a bronze medal in the men's 100 m butterfly S10 and at the 2006 Championships in Durban, South Africa he won a gold medal in men's 4 x100 m medley relay S34 points.^[7]

From 2003 to 2008, he held an Australian Institute of Sport paralympic swimming scholarship.^[8] He is coached at Geelong City Aquatic Club by Lucky Weerakkody.^[9]

Bell now works as a commercial diver.^[4]

On 30 August 2012, Bell pleaded guilty to stalking and burglary charges in the Geelong Magistrates' Court. The charges related to offences that Bell had committed in December 2011 and January 2012; in both instances, Bell trespassed into the home of a woman while she was out, took his clothes off and entered her bed. His defence lawyer attributed his behaviour to an adverse reaction to a prescription drug, saying: "He was hearing voices and ... was no longer in control of himself." Bell was placed on an 18-month community corrections order that required him to undergo mental health treatment and rehabilitation, along with programs to prevent re-offending.^[10][11]