It?s taken him 20 years but Steve Burgess finally has it ? a medal from the Penn Relays.

The Bermudian was part of a mile relay squad which copped bronze in the Masters division of the internationally-acclaimed meet a few weeks ago.

It?s certainly been the highlight of this 44-year-old?s return to the track in an aim to break the two-minute barrier in the 800 metres.

Now competing for Central Park Track Club in New York, Burgess ? who accomplished the feat with two Jamaicans and a Puerto Rican ? ran the third leg before passing the baton to the team?s 55-year-old anchor for the final 400-metre lap.

?It was a long time coming and it was really exciting to go back in the Masters. There were 50,000 people in the stands and it was right after the Elite runners had come off the track,? recalled the veteran athlete.

What made the occasion extra special was that Burgess? sister watched her brother?s achievement from the stands and he did not disappoint, clocking 53.94 seconds without having done any speedwork this year.

The middle-distance competitor is also closing in on his 800-metre goal. He is now down to 2:00.82 minutes which he ran two weekends ago at the University of Georgia?s Invitational.

?They put me in a heat with college guys. I figured I?d be second to last ? that I?d beat at least one guy. Actually, there were 11 people in the race and I finished third,? he said, adding that he will resume his assault on the 800 metres next month.

Burgess? next focus is the May 24 Marathon Derby for which he usually does running commentary for VSB; competing and interviewing competitors simultaneously.

?However this year I?m running with a cause. One of the athletes I coached in high school, Laurie Joseph, was tragically killed last year and a group of us are going to run in his honour.

?We may wear singlets with his photo or some identification on them. He was the first athlete I ever coached when I came back to Bermuda and he was a two-time Front Street Mile winner in high school (1990 and 1991),? he recalled of the 29-year-old who perished in a motorbike accident last June.

Others who will be ?Running for Laurie? include Sheldon Thompson, Quennel Robinson, Jason Robinson and Tony Bean.