Birthplace: Toronto, ON
Year of Birth: 1986
Club: Skyriders Trampoline
Favourite Event: Individual Trampoline
Sr. National Team since: 2015
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Jason Burnett sees himself as a natural show-off who lives by the motto “Go big or go home”. In June 2010, he broke his own world record by recording an 18.8 degree of difficulty at a World Cup meet in Davos, Switzerland. Always in search of bigger and better stages, Burnett made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2008 where he performed the most difficult routine of the competition to win the silver medal. He went on to reach the eight-man final at London 2012. Burnett has been competing internationally since he was 14, which included a trip to the 2007 Pan Am Games where he won silver. He’s also had to deal with multiple injuries, including surgery on his right knee in October 2014 for a complete ACL tear, second degree MCL tear, medial and lateral meniscus tear, and a bone bruise with microfracture. He was cleared to resume jumping on his feet in March 2015 and went on to finish fourth at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. After securing an Olympic berth at the Rio 2016 test event, Burnett won his 10th national title in June 2016.
Family: Parents David and Laurie Burnett… Younger brother Taylor…
Getting into the Sport: Started trampoline at age 8… Parents said their kids had to do at least one extra-curricular activity outside of school… His first coach showed him video of circus acrobats; he loved how they could flip, twist and generate so much power seemingly out of nothing… Trampoline was a great way to learn those skills… Was a shy kid but after learning a backflip on the floor he gained confidence from showing off to schoolmates…
Outside Interests: Graduated from University of Toronto in 2014 (Philosophy)… Enjoys tricking/parkour, taekwondo, hiking… Has been a stunt man, including as a double for Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim vs the World… RBC Olympian… Athlete ambassador for Right to Play and Kids Now…
Odds and Ends: Inspired by Canada’s first Olympic trampolinists, Karen Cockburn and Mathieu Turgeon… Got matching tattoos with Australian 2012 Olympian Blake Gaudry on the bottom of their toes…