By JARROD POTTER
THE hard work now begins for Pakenham hurdler Matt de Bruin.
He’s earned his ticket to the World Junior Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA – competing in his pet event 110m hurdles at the fourth most prestigious competition in world athletics – after the Olympic Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Even though he secured multiple World junior qualifying times and a top-two finish at the Australian Junior Athletic Championships to guarantee selection in the Australian team, nicknamed the Australian Spark, he still nervously waited for the phone call on Monday night to confirm.
“Getting the phone call yesterday… I was shaking on the phone,” de Bruin said.
“It was such a great feeling to know I’m on the team and it really tells me the hard work starts now.
“It’s remarkable because not a lot of people get this opportunity and all last week I was told at Nationals by a few of the Australian coaches that I was in, but still the wait all week, waiting to get that phone call, was just nerve-wracking. ”
De Bruin can now unleash at training – hitting the gym and preparing for the international competition with a harder training regime.
The worry about injury before the national championships had kept him from going too hard, but now that he’s got four months to prepare, he’s keen to get stuck into a tough training regime.
“Yesterday was my first session back – did a bit of hills – and I’ve got to work harder than ever” de Bruin said.
“I think my mindset is better now that nationals are over – it was a lot of pressure and obviously that was the competition to make the Worlds team – there’s now less pressure.
“There’s still pressure to perform but it’s a different kind of pressure.
“I’m now up for a lot of gym work – before nationals I haven’t been doing a whole lot of gym work, but now I’m getting seriously into the program and get some power and actually have some good starts.
De Bruin was elated with his second place finish in the nationals and found out well after he crossed the line that his 13.74 is now the top standard as a Victorian junior state record.
Hopes for Oregon include a podium finish, but just like a good hurdler should, de Bruin is taking his preparation and his schedule one race at a time.
The 2014 IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA will be held from 22 to 27 July.
