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Australian hurdles star Michelle Jenneke has paid tribute to her mentor after legendary Australian athletics coach Gary Bourne died this week.
Bourne, 68, was the former Queensland Athletics President and is an Athletics Australia Life Member.
Australia's most successful horizontal jumps coach, Bourne was the mastermind behind the Australian records of Olympic medallist Mitchell Watt and Bronwyn Thompson, the world championship gold and world record of Carlee Beattie, and he also guided Henry Frayne to Commonwealth silver, among many other achievements.
Jenneke was one of many athletes to benefit from Bourne's guidance and she posted a touching tribute to her 'amazing man' on Instagram.
'Rest in peace Gary. I'm incredibly lucky to have had this amazing man as my coach and mentor,' she posted.
'More than just a great coach he was wise, funny, kind and caring, and we will all miss him dearly. Thank you for everything Gaz.'
Australian hurdling star Michelle Jenneke has paid tribute to her mentor Gary Bourne (pictured together) who passed away this week aged 68
Jenneke described Bourne as 'an amazing man' who was a close friend as well as one of her coaches
Thanks to Bourne, Jenneke is back on the world stage where she reached the semi-finals at the World Championships this year
Athletics Australia president Jane Flemming said the entire track and field community in Australia would be impacted by the loss of Bourne.
'Gary Bourne's passing is an enormous loss to Australian athletics,' Flemming said.
'In the world of athletics, Gary was considered a jumps guru.
'He was head coach of the National Jumps Centre at the QAS but was more than a coach. He was also a mentor, educator and a guiding light that led countless athletes to soar to the highest levels of Olympic, world and Commonwealth rankings.
'His dedication, selflessness, unwavering passion and commitment transformed athletes into champions and nurtured individuals into outstanding human beings.
'Gary's legacy will forever echo in the hearts of the Queensland and Australian athletics community, reminding us that a coach's greatness is not just in records broken but in lives touched and inspired.
'He
