| Barry Besanko | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Barry D. Besanko | ||
| Born | 15 August 1956 | ||
| Original team | 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]
