Barry Besanko
Personal information
Full name Barry D. Besanko
Date of birth (1956-08-15) 15 August 1956
Original team(s) Mentone
Height 179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1980 Essendon 3 (3)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1980.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Barry Besanko (born 15 August 1956) is a former Australian sprinter and Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Besanko was a junior nationals hurdles champion and competed in many athletics events before joining Essendon.[1] In the Australian Track & Field Championships, his best performances included a second-place finish in the 100 metres in 1976-77 and four successive top three finishes in the 200m, finishing second in 1978-79.[1] He was also a member of the Victorian team that won the 4 x 100 metres relay final in 1977-78, along with Fred Lehmann, Peter Van Miltenburg and Colin McQueen.[1] Internationally, Besanko represented Oceania at the 1977 IAAF World Cup in West Germany and the 1979 IAAF World Cup in Canada.[1] At both World Cups he was a finalist in the 4 x 100 metres relays, placing seventh each time.[1] His best individual performance at a World Cup came in 1979, when he made the 200 metres final and finished eighth.[1][2]

During this time, Besanko also played Under 19s and reserves football for Melbourne. Not surprisingly given his speed, Besanko was a wingman. He made three appearances for Essendon, all in the 1980 VFL season.[3] His elder brother Neil Besanko also played for the club.[4]

In 1983 he captain-coached Dingley but returned to Essendon the following year, to join their coaching staff.[5] He was off again in 1986, to coach Rye, a position he held for two years.[5] He then went to St Kilda, where he was a fitness adviser.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Barry Besanko (Vic) Male b. 15 Aug 1956". Athletics Australia. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
  2. ↑ Lewiston Morning Tribune, "Track", 27 August 1979, p. 12
  3. ↑ AFL Tables: Barry Besanko
  4. ↑ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  5. 1 2 3 "Besanko, Barry D". Essendon Football Club official website. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012.
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