Питер Бердж (english)

Питер Бердж БиографияСтрана АвстралияШтат New South WalesДата рождения 3 июля, 1974Спорт атлетика, прыжки в длинуКлуб Melbourne Track Club Sydney PacificЛучший орезультат 8.30 метраДостижения 1998 He won the gold medal and set a new Games record atthe Commonwealth Games in Kualur LumpurNowhere in men s track and field can

Australia boast greater depth thanin the long jump event, with a triumvirate of world class performers. Thatdepth was underlined last year when Jai Taurima and Shane Hair finished fourthand fifth respectively at the World Championships. The third member of thetrio, Peter Burge, had to watch from home as Taurima and Hair competed inSeville.

After a promising early career as a triple jumper, Burge only began longjumping in 1998. Success was immediate. He recorded a jump of 8.22cm during hisfirst year of competition at no less an event than the Commonwealth Gamesfinal. He won the gold medal and set a new Games record. His team-mates Taurima andHair finished second on a countback and fourth respectively.

This must have made 1999 all the more difficult for Burge, as he missed theentire domestic season and the World Championships - with a chronic groininjury. Understandably, Burge was disappointed to have missed the chance tocompete in Seville, but says he never lost the faith. It was extremely frustrating, but all the way through that

I knew I wouldget back, no matter how long it took, I knew I d get back and I ve proven thatto myself, he says. But it was hard, the guys did extremely well at the world champs but I mlooking now to get back with those guys and maybe do a little bit better. Hisrecovery has been good, and Burge recorded strong results in the lead-up to thedomestic season in 2000.

That form continued in the Grand Prix season proper,with Burge recording a series of eight-metre-plus leaps. Of course, given the competition from Hair and Taurima, an eight metre jump hasnot been enough to ensure success for Burge, and the three of them have sharedthe honours domestically. But Burge won the national title in February with abig leap of 8.28m.

It was the biggest jump by an Australian on home soil, and anew personal best for Burge as he beat Taurima into second place with Hair, thedefending champion, in third. But that was only a taster. Burge leapt even further at the Melbourne TrackClassic, recording a jump of 8.30m. Burge says the competition has given allthree confidence on the international stage.

When we perform so well locally, we re quite confident when we go awayand we know we can produce those same sorts of performances elsewhere and takeon the world s best and hopefully beat them, he says. If the three of them are able to continue to bring out the best in each other,Australia can realistically hope to have three competitors in the long jumpfinal in Sydney, as all three have already qualified for the

Games.