Gordon Phillip Windeyer (born 20 February 1954) is an Australian former

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

athlete who competed in the

high jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...

. He was the gold medallist in the event at the

1974 British Commonwealth Games The 1974 British Commonwealth Games ( mi, 1974 Taumāhekeheke Commonwealth) were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January to 2 February 1974. The bid vote was held in Edinburgh at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games. The Games were off ...

, setting a games record mark. A three-time winner at the Australian Athletics Championships in the 1970s, he is a former Australian record holder with a best of .

Career

Windeyer was born in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. Using the Fosbury Flop method of high jumping,Commonwealth Games: Men’s high jump
. ''

Athletics Weekly ''AW'' (formerly ''Athletics Weekly'') is a monthly track and field magazine published in the United Kingdom by Athletics Weekly Limited. The magazine covers news, results, fixtures, coaching and product advice for all aspects of track and field, ...

'' (2014-07-26). Retrieved 2015-06-22. Windeyer rose to national level as a young athlete and was a repeat winner of the Australian junior title from 1971 to 1972. He jumped over two metres to win in 1972.

Lawrie Peckham Lawrence William "Lawrie" Peckham (born 4 December 1944) is a retired Australian high jumper. A ten-time national champion, he won two gold and one silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in 1966–1974. He competed at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 O ...

was the top Australian jumper of the period and Windeyer finished as runner-up behind him at the senior Australian Athletics Championships in 1974, clearing a new best of and losing only on countback. Both were selected to represent Australia at the

held in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

. Windeyer caused an upset by beating Peckham – the two-time defending champion – and clearing a new games record height of . In the 1975 season Windeyer and Peckham were again tied at the national championships, with Peckham winning on countback. Windeyer ended that winning streak (stretching back to 1969) with a win at the 1976 Australian Championships, and managed a meeting record of to establish himself among the nation's best. A 1977 win in was more modest but he was Australian champion for a third consecutive in 1978 with a championship record of . That mark went unbeaten until 1984, when it was improved by John Atkinson. Windeyer aimed to defend his high jump title at the

1978 Commonwealth Games The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec. They were boycotted by Nigeria, in protest at New Zealand's sporting contacts with apar ...

and proved to be in good form that year after a national title win and a new personal best and Australian record-equalling clearance of immediately before the competition.NSW Cross Country Championships Preview and Round Up
. Athletics NSW (2009-06-15). Retrieved 2015-06-22. At the event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Windeyer was one centimetre short of his previous games record, but this was not sufficient to reach the podium – Canadians, led by

Claude Ferragne Claude Ferragne (born 14 October 1952) is a Canadian former high jumper who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Ferragne was born in Montreal, Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accen ...

, took the top three positions and Windeyer missed out on a bronze medal on countback alone.Games Results for Gordon Phillip Windeyer
. Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 2015-06-22. Windeyer subsequently retired from competitive

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...

, but remained involved in the sport and later became a board member for the regional

Athletics New South Wales Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...

organisation.

National titles

* Australian Athletics Championships **

High jump The high jump is a track and field event in which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without dislodging it. In its modern, most-practiced format, a bar is placed between two standards with a crash mat f ...

: 1976, 1977, 1978

International competitions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Windeyer, Gordon Living people 1954 births Sportsmen from New South Wales Australian male high jumpers Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia Commonwealth Games medallists in athletics Athletes (track and field) at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games Athletes (track and field) at the 1978 Commonwealth Games Medallists at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games Australian Athletics Championships winners