Pitre Bourdon

Dr Pitre Bourdon

School of Allied Health and Human Performance

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Pitre has over 35 years’ experience working in high performance sport. He is currently working as the High Performance Manager with the Adelaide Thunderbirds netball team. Between 2009 and 2018 he worked as the Head of Research and Quality Assurance at ASPIRE Academy in Doha, Qatar. Prior to this he worked for 25 years at the South Australian Sports Institute as their Sport Science Manager and as an Applied Sport Scientist. All these roles have helped Pitre establish a strong international reputation in sport science, both from a servicing standpoint in the preparation of elite athletes, including numerous world champions and Olympic medallists, and as an applied researcher. Additionally, Pitre has served on numerous national sport science research and education committees and has won several service awards. 
Pitre’s research interests are diverse and include; athlete load monitoring, the effects of altitude/hypoxia on performance, the development of athlete assessment protocols, the application of blood lactate thresholds in endurance sports, total haemoglobin mass determination, anti-doping, adolescent athletes, talent identification strategies and the physiology of team sports. His research has always been applied with direct links to improving athlete monitoring or enhancing performance, and has resulted in his authorship on over 70 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters.

Year Citation
2023 Palmer, B. L., van der Ploeg, G. E., Bourdon, P. C., Butler, S. R., & Crowther, R. G. (2023). Evaluation of athlete monitoring tools across 10 weeks of elite youth basketball training: An Explorative Study. Sports, 11(2, article no. 26), 1-16.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2023 Janetzki, S. J., Bourdon, P. C., Burgess, D. J., Barratt, G. K., & Bellenger, C. R. (2023). Assessing athlete readiness using physical, physiological, and perceptual markers. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance, 2(3), 339-380.
DOI
2023 Periard, J. D., Girard, O., Townsend, N., Bourdon, P., Cocking, S., Ihsan, M., . . . Racinais, S. (2023). Hematological adaptations following a training camp in hot and/or hypoxic conditions in elite rugby union players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 18(9), 1053-1061.
DOI Scopus4 Europe PMC3
2023 Palmer, B. L., Van der ploeg, G. E., Bourdon, P. C., & Crowther, R. G. (2023). The reliability and validity of two different inertial measurement units in youth basketball players. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 23(7, article no. 170), 1556-1560.
DOI Scopus1
2023 Janetzki, S. J., Bellenger, C. R., Natera, A. O., Poulos, N., Harmer, E. M. W., & Bourdon, P. C. (2023). The influence of a COVID-19 induced reduction in game time on the match activity profiles of elite Australian Rules Football players. Scientific Journal of Sport and Performance, 2(4), 461-472.
DOI
2021 Janetzki, S. J., Bourdon, P. C., Norton, K. I., Lane, J. C., & Bellenger, C. R. (2021). Evolution of physical demands of Australian Football League matches from 2005 to 2017: a systematic review and meta-regression. Sports Medicine - Open, 7(28), 1-21.
DOI
2021 Racinais, S., Périard, J. D., Piscione, J., Bourdon, P. C., Cocking, S., Ihsan, M., . . . Girard, O. (2021). Intensified training supersedes the impact of heat and/or altitude for increasing performance in elite rugby union players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 16(10), 1416-1423.
DOI Scopus12 Europe PMC9
2019 Williams, B. K., Sanders, R. H., Ryu, J. H., Bourdon, P. C., Graham Smith, P., & Sinclair, P. J. (2019). Static and dynamic accuracy of a magnetic-inertial measurement unit used to provide racket swing kinematics. Sports biomechanics, 18(2), 202-214.
DOI
2018 Lobigs, L. M., Sottas, P. E., Bourdon, P. C., Nikolovski, Z., El Gingo, M., Varamenti, E., . . . Schumacher, Y. O. (2018). A step towards removing plasma volume variance from the Athlete's Biological Passport: the use of biomarkers to describe vascular volumes from a simple blood test. Drug testing and analysis, 10(2), 294-300.
DOI Scopus25 WoS24 Europe PMC21
2018 Bourdon, P. C., Woolford, S. M., & Buckley, J. D. (2018). Effects of varying the step duration on the determination of lactate thresholds in elite rowers. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 13(6), 687-693.
DOI Scopus17 WoS14 Europe PMC14
2018 Hoffman, D., Robertson, S., Bourdon, P., Douglas, A., & Gastin, P. (2018). Anthropometric and physical fitness comparisons between Australian and Qatari male sport school athletes. Asian journal of sports medicine, 9(3, article no. e59620), 1-8.
DOI
2018 Peric, R., Meucci, M., Bourdon, P. C., & Nikolovski, Z. (2018). Does the aerobic threshold correlate with the maximal fat oxidation rate in short stage treadmill tests?. Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 58(10), 1412-1417.
DOI
2017 Williams, B. K., Bourdon, P. C., Graham Smith, P., & Sinclair, P. J. (2017). Validation of the hunt squash accuracy test used to assess individual shot performance. Movement & sport sciences, 100(3), 13-20.
DOI
2017 Bourdon, P. C., Cardinale, M., Gregson, W., & Cable, N. T. (2017). Hashtag #trainingload2016-spreading the word. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 12(12), 1.
DOI
2017 Bourdon, P. C., Clark, S. A., Aughey, R. J., Stanef, T., Woolford, S. M., Schmidt, W., & Gore, C. J. (2017). The effect of acute simulated altitude on the lactate thresholds of well-trained cyclists. Medicine & science in sports & exercise, 49(923), 1.
DOI
2017 Lobigs, L., Sottas, P. E., Bourdon, P. C., Nikolovski, Z., El Gingo, M., Varamenti, E., . . . Schumacher, Y. O. (2017). The use of biomarkers to describe plasma-, red cell-, and blood volume from a simple blood test. American journal of hematology, 92(1), 62-67.
DOI Scopus28 WoS28 Europe PMC23
2017 Bourdon, P. C., Cardinale, M., Murray, A., Gastin, P., Kellmann, M., Varley, M. C., . . . Cable, N. T. (2017). Monitoring athlete training loads: consensus statement. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 12(S2), 161-170.
DOI
2016 Haines, B. R., Bourdon, P. C., & Deakin, G. (2016). Reliability of common neuromuscular performance tests in adolescent athletes. Journal of Australian strength and conditioning, 24(4), 16-22.
2016 Voss, S. C., Nikolovski, Z., Bourdon, P. C., Alsayrafi, M., & Schumacher, Y. O. (2016). The effect of cumulative endurance exercise on leptin and adiponectin and their role as markers to monitor training load. Biology of sport, 33(1), 23-28.
DOI
2015 Buchheit, M., Hammond, K., Bourdon, P. C., Simpson, B. M., Garvican Lewis, L. A., Schmidt, W. F., . . . Aughey, R. J. (2015). Relative match intensities at high altitude in highly-trained young soccer players (ISA3600). Journal of sports science & medicine, 14(1), 98-102.
2014 Voss, S. C., Alsayrafi, M., Bourdon, P. C., Klodt, F., Nonis, D., Hopkins, W. G., & Schumacher, Y. O. (2014). Variability of serum markers of erythropoiesis during 6 days of racing in highly trained cyclists. International journal of sports medicine, 35(2), 89-94.
DOI
2014 Voss, S. C., Varamenti, E., Elgingo, M. E., & Bourdon, P. C. (2014). New parameters and reference values for monitoring iron status in Middle Eastern adolescent male athletes. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 54(2), 179-185.
2014 Buchheit, M., Al Haddad, H., Simpson, B. M., Palazzi, D., Bourdon, P. C., Di Salvo, V., & Mendez Villanueva, A. (2014). Monitoring accelerations with GPS in football: time to slow down?. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 9(3), 442-445.
DOI
2013 Girard, O., Amann, M., Aughey, R., Billaut, F., Bishop, D. J., Bourdon, P., . . . Schumacher, Y. O. (2013). Position statement--altitude training for improving team-sport players' performance: current knowledge and unresolved issues. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i8-i16.
DOI
2013 Gore, C. J., Aughey, R. J., Bourdon, P. C., Garvican Lewis, L. A., Soria, R., Jimenez Claros, J. C., . . . Schmidt, W. F. (2013). Methods of the international study on soccer at altitude 3600 m (ISA3600). British journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i80-i85.
DOI
2013 Mendez Villanueva, A., Buchheit, M., Simpson, B., & Bourdon, P. C. (2013). Match play intensity distribution in youth soccer. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 34(2), 101-110.
DOI
2013 Voss, S. C., Giraud, S., Alsayrafi, M., Bourdon, P. C., Schumacher, Y. O., Saugy, M., & Robinson, N. (2013). The effect of a period of intensive exercise on the isoform test to detect growth hormone doping in sports. Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society, 23(4), 105-108.
DOI
2013 Buchheit, M., Simpson, B. M., Garvican Lewis, L. A., Hammond, K., Kley, M., Schmidt, W. F., . . . Bourdon, P. C. (2013). Wellness, fatigue and physical performance acclimatisation to a 2-week soccer camp at 3600 m (ISA3600). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i100-i106.
DOI
2013 Sargent, C., Schmidt, W. F., Aughey, R. J., Bourdon, P. C., Soria, R., Jimenez Claros, J. C., . . . Roach, G. D. (2013). The impact of altitude on the sleep of young elite soccer players (ISA3600). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i86-i92.
DOI
2013 Aughey, R. J., Hammond, K., Varley, M. C., Schmidt, W. F., Bourdon, P. C., Buchheit, M., . . . Gore, C. J. (2013). Soccer activity profile of altitude versus sea-level natives during acclimatisation to 3600 m (ISA3600). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i107-i113.
DOI
2013 Buchheit, M., Simpson, B. M., Schmidt, W. F., Aughey, R. J., Soria, R., Hunt, R. A., . . . Bourdon, P. C. (2013). Predicting sickness during a 2-week soccer camp at 3600 m (ISA3600). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i124-i127.
DOI
2013 Buchheit, M., Racinais, S., Bilsborough, J. C., Bourdon, P. C., Voss, S. C., Hocking, J., . . . Coutts, A. J. (2013). Monitoring fitness, fatigue and running performance during a pre-season training camp in elite football players. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 16(6), 550-555.
DOI
2013 Wachsmuth, N., Kley, M., Spielvogel, H., Aughey, R. J., Gore, C. J., Bourdon, P. J., . . . Garvican Lewis, L. A. (2013). Changes in blood gas transport of altitude native soccer players near sea-level and sea-level native soccer players at altitude (ISA3600). British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(Suppl 1), i93-i99.
DOI
2013 Roach, G. D., Schmidt, W. F., Aughey, R. J., Bourdon, P. C., Soria, R., Claros, J. C. J., . . . Sargent, C. (2013). The sleep of elite athletes at sea level and high altitude: a comparison of sea-level natives and high-altitude natives (ISA3600). British journal of sports medicine, 47(supplement 1), 114-120.
DOI
2013 Buchheit, M., Racinais, S., Bilsborough, J., Hocking, J., Mendez Villanueva, A., Bourdon, P. C., . . . Coutts, A. J. (2013). Adding heat to the live-high train-low altitude model: a practical insight from professional football. British journal of sports medicine, 47(1), i59-i69.
DOI
2012 Buchheit, M., Kuitunen, S., Voss, S. C., Williams, B. K., Mendez Villanueva, A., & Bourdon, P. C. (2012). Physiological strain associated with high-intensity hypoxic intervals in highly trained young runners. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(1), 94-105.
DOI
2012 Al Haddad, H., Mendez Villanueva, A., Bourdon, P. C., & Buchheit, M. (2012). Effect of acute hypoxia on post-exercise parasympathetic reactivation in healthy men. Frontiers in Physiology, 3(289), 1-11.
DOI
2012 Buchheit, M., Simpson, M. B., Al Haddad, H., Bourdon, P. C., & Mendez Villanueva, A. (2012). Monitoring changes in physical performance with heart rate measures in young soccer players. European journal of applied physiology, 112(2), 711-723.
DOI
2012 Eastwood, A., Bourdon, P. C., Snowden, K. R., & Gore, C. J. (2012). Detraining decreases Hb mass of triathletes. International journal of sports medicine, 33(4), 253-257.
DOI
2012 Schumacher, Y. O., Klodt, F., Nonis, D., Pottgiesser, T., Alsayrafi, M., Bourdon, P. C., & Voss, S. C. (2012). The impact of long-haul air travel on variables of the athlete's biological passport. International journal of laboratory hematology, 34(6), 641-647.
DOI
2012 Eastwood, A., Sharpe, K., Bourdon, P. C., Woolford, S. M., Saunders, P. U., Robertson, E. Y., . . . Gore, C. J. (2012). Within-subject variation in hemoglobin mass in elite athletes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 44(4), 725-732.
DOI
2011 Buchheit, M., Al Haddad, H., Mendez Villanueva, A., Quod, M. J., & Bourdon, P. C. (2011). Effect of maturation on hemodynamic and autonomic control recovery following maximal running exercise in highly trained young soccer players. Frontiers in Physiology, 2(69), 1-13.
DOI
2011 Buchheit, M., Horobeanu, C., Mendez Villanueva, A., Simpson, B. M., & Bourdon, P. C. (2011). Effects of age and spa treatment on match running performance over two consecutive games in highly trained young soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(6), 591-598.
DOI
2011 Mendez Villanueva, A., Buchheit, M., Kuitunen, S., Douglas, A., Peltola, E., & Bourdon, P. (2011). Age-related differences in acceleration, maximum running speed, and repeated-sprint performance in young soccer players. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(5), 477-484.
DOI
2011 Mendez Villanueva, A., Buchheit, M., Simpson, B., Peltola, E., & Bourdon, P. (2011). Does on-field sprinting performance in young soccer players depend on how fast they can run or how fast they do run?. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(9), 2634-2638.
DOI
2010 Buchheit, M., Mendez Villanueva, A., Quod, M. J., Poulos, N., & Bourdon, P. (2010). Determinants of the variability of heart rate measures during a competitive period in young soccer players. European journal of applied physiology, 109(5), 869-878.
DOI
2010 Buchheit, M., Mendez Villanueva, A., Simpson, B. M., & Bourdon, P. C. (2010). Repeated-sprint sequences during youth soccer matches. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(10), 709-716.
DOI
2010 Buchheit, M., Mendez Villanueva, A., Simpson, B. M., & Bourdon, P. C. (2010). Match running performance and fitness in youth soccer. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(11), 818-825.
DOI
2009 Bourdon, P. C., David, A. Z., & Buckley, J. D. (2009). A single exercise test for assessing physiological and performance parameters in elite rowers : the 2-in-1 test. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 12(1), 205-211.
DOI Scopus15 WoS13 Europe PMC10
2008 Eastwood, A., Bourdon, P. C., Withers, R. T., & Gore, C. J. (2008). Longitudinal changes in haemoglobin mass and VO2max in adolescents. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 105(5), 715-721.
DOI
2008 Eastwood, A., Hopkins, W. G., Bourdon, P. C., Withers, R. T., & Gore, C. J. (2008). Stability of hemoglobin mass over 100 days in active men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 104(4), 982-985.
DOI
1997 Norton, K. I., Buckley, J. D., Campbell, D., Emonson, D., Gore, C., Hahn, A., . . . Bourdon, P. C. (1997). Reduced performance of male and female athletes at 580 m altitude. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology, 75(2), 136-143.
DOI Scopus91 WoS81 Europe PMC65

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2022 Principal Supervisor - - Master Full Time Mr Liam Beazleigh

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