Erik Surjan
Encyclopedia
Erik Surjan is an Australia
n Track and Field
athlete, competing in the Decathlon
.
In his earlier career, Erik was a talented long jump
er, winning 4 national junior long jump titles between 1998 and 2001. Competing in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburgh
, Scotland
in 2000, Erik won the Bronze Medal for the Long Jump.
After a brief retreat from the sport to concentrate on his studies, Erik returned to the sport in 2004 on the advice of Grant Ward: Head Field Coach for the Western Australian Institute of Sport
(WAIS). In his first year of the decathlon, Erik won the 2005 Men's Senior National Decathlon title from defending champion Matt McEwen with a score of 7621 points.
It was there short after, that Erik took up a scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport
(AIS), under the guidance of Craig Hilliard, coach of former athletes such as Jane Flemming
, Jai Taurima
, Jana Rawlinson
, Kerry Saxby-Junna
and 2006 World Junior Long Jump Champion Robbie Crowther. Unfortunately for Erik, he sustained a serious knee injury in Ratingen
, Germany
in June, 2005 requiring surgery and missing the entire 2006 season, including the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
After a successful rehabilitation process, Erik returned to the track in 2007 and after some early encouraging form, Erik sustained two freak injuries to the same knee that required surgery earlier and his right shoulder. Both injuries required season ending surgery. Despite this, Erik competed injured in the 2007 Australian Multi Events Championships, winning back his title with a World Championships 'B' Qualifying score of 7706 points.
In the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics Surjan suffered a horrendous leg injury during the Decathlon Men's High Jump event. Leading the competition by over 500 points and looking set to announce his arrival on the international stage, Surjan snapped the Fibula and Tibia bones during a mishap ending his campaign. His rehabilitation continues in Western Australia under the watchful eyes of Western Australian Institute of Sport coaches Grant Ward and Lyn Foreman.
plays in the Australian Football League
(AFL) with the Port Adelaide Football Club
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Track and Field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete, competing in the Decathlon
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
.
In his earlier career, Erik was a talented long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
er, winning 4 national junior long jump titles between 1998 and 2001. Competing in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 2000, Erik won the Bronze Medal for the Long Jump.
After a brief retreat from the sport to concentrate on his studies, Erik returned to the sport in 2004 on the advice of Grant Ward: Head Field Coach for the Western Australian Institute of Sport
Western Australian Institute of Sport
The Western Australian Institute of Sport is an elite sports institute set up in 1983 by the Government of Western Australia to support athletes in Western Australia...
(WAIS). In his first year of the decathlon, Erik won the 2005 Men's Senior National Decathlon title from defending champion Matt McEwen with a score of 7621 points.
It was there short after, that Erik took up a scholarship with the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
(AIS), under the guidance of Craig Hilliard, coach of former athletes such as Jane Flemming
Jane Flemming
Jane Christina Flemming is a former Australian Olympic track and field athlete. She completed her HSC in 1982 at Mater Christi College, Belgrave...
, Jai Taurima
Jai Taurima
Jai Taurima is a retired Australian athlete who competed in the long jump. He won a surprising silver medal at the 2000 Olympics with a personal best jump of 8.49 metres. This was the Oceanian record...
, Jana Rawlinson
Jana Rawlinson
Jana Pittman-Rawlinson is an Australian athlete, who specialises in the 400 metres run and 400 metre hurdles events. She is a two-time world champion in the 400 m hurdles, from 2003 and 2007...
, Kerry Saxby-Junna
Kerry Saxby-Junna
Kerry-Anne Saxby-Junna, born Kerry Saxby , is a retired Australian race walker. She is the world record holder at 5.000 metres track walk with 20:03.0 from 1996, and the Oceanian record holder at 10.000 metres walk with 41:57.22 from 1990. She was born in Ballina.-Achievements:-External links:*...
and 2006 World Junior Long Jump Champion Robbie Crowther. Unfortunately for Erik, he sustained a serious knee injury in Ratingen
Ratingen
Ratingen is a town in the district of Mettmann, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the northwestern part of Berg - about 12 km northeast of Düsseldorf...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in June, 2005 requiring surgery and missing the entire 2006 season, including the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
After a successful rehabilitation process, Erik returned to the track in 2007 and after some early encouraging form, Erik sustained two freak injuries to the same knee that required surgery earlier and his right shoulder. Both injuries required season ending surgery. Despite this, Erik competed injured in the 2007 Australian Multi Events Championships, winning back his title with a World Championships 'B' Qualifying score of 7706 points.
In the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics Surjan suffered a horrendous leg injury during the Decathlon Men's High Jump event. Leading the competition by over 500 points and looking set to announce his arrival on the international stage, Surjan snapped the Fibula and Tibia bones during a mishap ending his campaign. His rehabilitation continues in Western Australia under the watchful eyes of Western Australian Institute of Sport coaches Grant Ward and Lyn Foreman.
Family
Erik's brother Jacob SurjanJacob Surjan
Jacob Adam Surjan is an Australian rules footballer of Croatian descent and current player of the Port Adelaide Football Club.-Early career:...
plays in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) with the Port Adelaide Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
.