Don Burgess only took up competitive cycling in 1950 at the age of 17. Two years later he finished second to Dave Keeler in the National Individual Pursuit Championship and then became the youngest member of the Great Britain team that won the bronze medal in the 4000 metres team pursuit at the Helsinki Olympics, having earlier toured South Africa with the British cycling team.
Burgess won his first national title, at 10-miles, in 1954. Two years later, he was serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF) when he regained his 10-mile title in a record 20:20.0. Having toured Russia and Bulgaria with the British team, he then went to his second Olympics at Melbourne in 1956 and this time, at the age of 23, was the oldest member of the Great Britain squad, and the only one remaining from 1952. Burgess emigrated to Australia in 1958 and continued racing. The following year he finishd third in the Melbourne Six-Day Race.
Great Britain