Jobie Dajka
Jobie Lee Dajka (11 December 1981 – 4 April 2009) was an Australian professional track cyclist from Adelaide, South Australia.
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Jobie Lee Dajka | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Wheels | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | 11 December 1981||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 4 April 2009 27)[1] | (aged||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Discipline | Track | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Rider | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rider type | Sprinter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Major wins | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keirin world champion (2002) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Biography
Dajka received an AIS Junior Athlete of the Year award in 1999, and an Achievement Award in 2002 and 2003.[2] He missed selection for the 2000 Olympic Games, but competed in the 2002 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, winning the Keirin.
Dajka was sent home from the 2004 pre-Olympic training camp, accused of having lied to the enquiries into the Mark French doping affair. His appeal at his expulsion and later suspension was unsuccessful.[3] After this, he became disillusioned and became a very heavy drinker, and gained a lot of weight. Following a tribunal on 15 June 2005, he received a three-year ban following an assault on Martin Barras, the Australian national track coach. He also vandalised his parents' home and was put under a restraining order. After suffering emotional and mental problems, Dajka had a brief stay in an Adelaide hospital suffering depression and alcohol-related stress.[4] Dajka's racing licence was reinstated on 22 December 2006; his ban was lifted early in accordance with conditions set out in the 2005 tribunal- that he sought immediate medical treatment and completed 80 hours of community service.[5]
Dajka later regained his normal health and stopped drinking, and there was talk of a comeback. However, Dajka was found dead in his home by police on 7 April 2009. The cause of his death is unknown, but police said the death is not believed to be suspicious.[6][7]
Palmarès
- 1998
- 2nd Team Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Junior)
- 1999
- 3rd Kilo, UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Junior)
- 1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Junior)
- 1st Team Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships (Junior) (with Ben Kersten & Mark Renshaw)
- 2001
- 2nd Team Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships (with Sean Eadie & Ryan Bayley)
- 1st Keirin, 2001 Track World Cup, Ipoh
- 2002
- 1st Team Sprint, 2002 Commonwealth Games (with Sean Eadie & Ryan Bayley)
- 1st Keirin, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
- 2nd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
- 2nd Team Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships (with Sean Eadie & Ryan Bayley)
- 3rd Sprint, 2002 Commonwealth Games
- 2003
- 2nd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
- 2nd Keirin, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
- 2004
- 2nd Keirin, 2004 Track World Cup, Moscow
- 3rd Keirin, 2004 Track World Cup, Sydney
- 2005
- 3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
- 1st
Sprint, Australian National Track Championships - 3rd Keirin, Australian National Track Championships
- 2nd Sprint, 2004–2005 Track World Cup, Sydney
- 3rd Team Sprint, 2004–2005 Track World Cup, Sydney
References
- Larkin, Steve (18 April 2009). "Guilt should torment you, cyclist's father tells officials". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
- "Awards". Australian Institute of Sport. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008.
- "An interview with Jobie Dajka - What doesn't kill you..." cyclingnews.com. 1 October 2004.
- Jeremy Roberts (17 June 2005). "Jobie Dajka banned for three years". The Australian.
- "Statement regarding Jobie Dajka". Cycling Australia. 22 December 2006. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007.
- AAP and Jacquelin Magnay (8 April 2009). "Cycling star Jobie Dajka found dead". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
- "Cyclist Jobie Dajka found dead". The Daily Telegraph. 8 April 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
External links
- Australian Cycling Federation Profile
- Jobie Dajka at Cycling Archives