Tommy Nankervis

Rest In Peace Jobie Dajka

// April 14th, 2009 // A Day Down Under

Last week, I, as well as most of the cycling world, heard some very sad news. Jobie Dajka, a champion Australian track sprinter was found dead. I knew Jobie pretty well, and when I used to race the sprint events on the track, he was a great idol. It is so sad that he never got to fulfill his dream of racing in the Olympic Games. It was all he lived for, just to go to the Olympics, and he told me many times.

Jobie was an amazing sprinter, and I always thought he would go on to be the best sprinter Australia ever produced, and probably the best the world would ever see. He was unbelievably fast, and so smart with tactics aswell. During Theo Bos’s time at the top of sprinting, the times he didn’t win gold were usually the times when Jobie would eliminate him in the semi or quarter finals.

I think one of the most devastating things for Jobie missing the 2004 Olympics were not just that he didn’t get to go, but seeing guys he knew he would beat, winning the gold medals. It is extremely sad, and I often thought about how different those Olympics would have been, had he been there. Also, it makes me think that he would probably still be dominating now.

I was dumbfounded when I heard the news last week. He was such a superstar, and just a great, friendly, happy guy. He always had time to talk with younger riders, and never thought he was above anyone else, even when he was the World Champion. When the Sydney Olympics were on in 2000, my Dad, grandfather and I all went up to watch the track cycling. One of the days we were there, lining up for tickets, and Jobie was in line next to us, for the 6 hour wait in the sun. We sat next to him all day, and all night at the races. It was the first time I got to meet him, and he was really friendly. He was also extremely astute, and was studying everything all of his heroes did during their warm-ups and preparation, taking notes. In the following years, we got to know each other quite well, as I stayed with him at his and his friend’s house on a number of occasions in Adelaide.

I hope everyone can remember Jobie Dajka for the champion cyclist that he was, and something like this article should be read. He really was totally focussed on being the best he could be, and was just so passionate about cycling and the Olympics.

I really wish Jobie had have won an Olympic Gold, or at the very least, participated in the Olympic Games. It kind of makes me even more sad that he never did. One thing that can never be taken away from him is that he is always going to be a World and Commonwealth Champion.

I hope he rests in peace, even though he never fulfilled the dream he lived for.