Geelong Football Legend Mark Bairstow Hospitalised After Cardiac Scare at Son's Race Meeting
Former Geelong Football Club captain Mark Bairstow was dramatically revived on two separate occasions after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest while celebrating his son's race victory at the Bunbury Turf Club on Sunday afternoon. The 62-year-old Australian Rules football legend collapsed near the mounting yard shortly before 4pm Western Australian time, moments after watching his son Dylan's horse, Apparatus, triumph in the fourth race of the day.
Emergency Response in Scorching Track Conditions
With temperatures soaring to nearly 35 degrees Celsius at the Western Australian racecourse, first responders rushed to Bairstow's assistance immediately following his collapse. Medical personnel utilised a defibrillator on two distinct occasions to successfully restart the former footballer's heart at the scene, performing critical life-saving interventions in challenging environmental conditions.
Bairstow was subsequently transported by ambulance to Bunbury Regional Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition while undergoing comprehensive medical tests to determine the precise cause of his cardiac arrest. St John WA emergency services confirmed that a man in his sixties had been transported from the racecourse in a critical condition following the medical emergency.
Pre-Collapse Symptoms and Previous Health Battles
It is understood that Bairstow had informed a friend he was feeling unwell mere minutes before his collapse, appearing noticeably out of breath prior to the incident. The frightening episode unfolded directly in front of his son Dylan and jockey Austin Galati, a former apprentice of Bairstow, adding to the traumatic nature of the situation.
This latest health scare follows Bairstow's ongoing battles with cardiac issues in recent years. In 2023, the football veteran spent nearly two weeks in intensive care on life support following a major health crisis. Speaking about that previous episode, Bairstow revealed the seriousness of his condition, stating medical professionals had faced critical decisions about continuing treatment.
"They had to make a decision whether to keep going or pull the pin," Bairstow recalled of his 2023 hospitalisation. "I'm glad they made the right decision. My heartbeat goes along normal and then all of a sudden it just misses. It became more often [over time], and that put my heart under pressure to pump at the normal level."
The former athlete also acknowledged that weight gain over the years had likely contributed to his health challenges, demonstrating characteristic honesty about his physical condition.
Family Response and Football Legacy
Bairstow's family has declined to make public comments following Sunday's traumatic incident but has been described as extremely thankful to the medical personnel and first responders who helped save his life at the racecourse. Several of Bairstow's former Geelong teammates were informed about the emergency later that evening, highlighting the close-knit nature of the football community.
A decorated midfielder during his playing career, Bairstow represented Geelong in 146 Australian Football League games between 1987 and 1994 after being recruited from South Fremantle. His leadership qualities saw him captain the Cats from 1992 to 1994, during which time he earned three All-Australian selections. Bairstow's football achievements include winning the prestigious 1986 Sandover Medal and subsequent induction into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
The former captain has also experienced personal tragedy within football circles, having lost former teammate and close friend Paul Couch to a heart attack in 2016. Bairstow delivered a moving tribute at the Brownlow medallist's funeral, creating a poignant connection between his current health battle and previous loss within his sporting community.
