Matt’s ready to

By Jarrod Potter
MATT DEBRUIN is an athlete on the rise across his chosen sports of athletics and footy.
Debruin won gold and silver medals at the 2011 Australian Junior Championships last month, winning the 200m hurdles and narrowly getting beaten in the 100m hurdles in a photo-finish.
“In my last two years for the youths and all schools I won the 100m hurdles, but this year I came second in the 100m at the hurdles,” Debruin said.
“I won the 200m hurdles and it was pretty much a photo-finish in the 100m.”
A hurdler by preference, Debruin also trains hard on sprinting and jumping events.
“I really enjoy the hurdles, 100m and 200m hurdles, and I like the jumps, probably long jump and high jump most,” Debruin said.
Asked about athletic or academic aims, Debruin is uncertain about what may happen in years to come, other than his ultimate goal of playing in the AFL.
“Not really sure at the moment about my uni plans, but I’ll just go with what happens,” he said.
“My big aim is to play in the AFL. I was chosen for Gippsland Power at the start of the athletics season, but I turned it down as I was in athletics training at the time.
“But I moved football clubs this season and hopefully will get picked for the Stingrays.”
Playing for the Narre North Foxes as a key position player – in the ruck, at centre-half-back or centre-half-forward – Debruin looks ready to make an impact in whatever sport he sets his eyes on.