Athletics Australia – News – Wruck wins NCAA crown in Des Moines

Australian Flame Julian Wruck has this morning won the NCAA Division I Championship in the men's discus throw, heaving 61.81m in Des Moines (USA) to claim the title for the first time.

The bronze medallist in the same event last year, Wruck entered the competition today as top seed after closing his season with a silver medal (58.47m) in the NCAA West Region Championships last week.

"This time, I just didn't leave it up to chance," Wruck said.

"I won in my region last year and I was confident heading into the championships despite knowing how capable everyone was – there were five guys that could have beat me then and two of them did.

"This year I went in knowing that I could make it happen, I had a different mindset that meant I thought I was definitely going to win."

The Australian under 20 record holder and a bronze medallist at the 2010 world junior championships in Moncton (CAN), Wruck made his open age international debut alongside Benn Harradine at the XIX Commonwealth Games last October.

Heading back to his Texas Tech University base where he trains with Cliff Fenkins, Wruck has this year improved his personal best to 63.42m and won five from 11 starts on the American college circuit.

His winning mark today came in his preliminary rounds, with Wruck surprised yet content by his opening throws.

"My first throw was just kind of easy, but it was really fast and nice," Wruck continued.

"I just tried to stay in the ring – stay and throw, let it go – and yeah, that was the one.

"I'm just so happy!"

Athletics Australia – News