Sprinter Jordan Shelley has no regrets chasing Olympic dream over NRL career
Teenage sprinter Jordan Shelley has no regrets after leaving the Parramatta Eels academy in pursuit of an Olympic dream and on Monday night showed why.
The 19-year-old Canberra-based runner won the 100m under-20 final at the Athletics Australia Championships in Sydney, with a blistering time of 10.52 seconds.
After breaking the under-16 national 100m record in 2014, Shelley walked away from a rugby league contract with the Eels to focus on running.
"It was big decision to pick one or the other but with where I was at with my running career, having just broken the national record, it kind of chose itself," Shelley said.
"It was a big call, you think about athletics and it's hard to make a career out of it, but if you stick with it and have the motivation then anything is possible and that's what i believe will happen."
The victory on Tuesday marked a triumphant return to the track for Shelley who admitted he struggled to stay motivated after injuries plagued his development.
"I was getting injured way too much, I think I was too fast, too young and pushing too hard which my body paid a toll on, but now we know how hard and how often I can train," Shelley said.
"I will admit I did fall off a bit and slacked off for a year or two and someone actually said to me yesterday [Monday] 'we thought you fell off the map'.
"It took me a while to get back but my team, and seeing everyone run really fast, motivated me to come back and this win really stamped my mark that I'm back
"I got out of the blocks well and 10m from the line my legs were giving way but I had the willpower to hold on.
"I think I'm finally starting to knock on the door of being competitive in the men's so the future is looking bright."
Shelley is gunning for Australian honours this season before a Commonwealth Games berth next year and ultimately becoming an Olympian at Tokyo 2020.
"I'd like to make the world relay team in April and then the Commonwealth Games relay team next year, but the big goal is to make the Olympics in three years," Shelley said.
"If I trust the process and trust my coach I think that's all achieveable."
Shelley will race in the men's 100m heats on Friday and later in the season is considering training in Hungary with his coach Suzie Fulop, before competing on the European circuit.
"My coach would love me to Hungary because she's from there and the training is very disciplined with long and hard sessions in the cold," Shelley said.
"That's definitely on the cards and it would be good a good reality check for my athletics, I think it would be wonderful to train over there."
ACT teenager Edward Osei-Nketia continued his red-hot form after saluting in the 100m under-18 final on Monday in 10.56 seconds.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/spo...ic-dream-over-nrl-career-20170328-gv8arv.html
