In his quest to become Australia‘s fastest footballer, Jarryd Hayne is fully committed – enlisting the help of Olympic sprint champion Matt Shirvington to refine both his style and starts.
On Tuesday at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre, Matt Shirvington, who claimed five consecutive national 100m titles from 1998, will be instructing Hayne on starter block techniques ahead of the Gatorade Bolt scheduled for Wednesday night.
The semi-finalist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics believes he can give Hayne the additional advantage necessary to outpace a competitive lineup from NRL, AFL, Super 14, and A-League.
“Jarryd is set to hit unprecedented speeds,” asserted Shirvington.
“With no football to carry, no boots, and no defense to evade, he’ll be running on a track instead of a soft, uneven grass field.
“However, the main challenge lies in generating power out of the blocks, and that’s where I can provide the most assistance. I’ll show Jarryd how to distribute the power in his legs during the start, how to angle his hips forward, and ensure he moves through all the gears before fully popping up.
“These subtle adjustments can lead to substantial improvements.”
Promoted as the main attraction of a spectacular Athletic Allstars event, the Gatorade Bolt features Queensland Origin star Greg Inglis, Wallabies winger Lachie Turner, Essendon speedster Courtenay Dempsey, and Central Coast Mariners star Matt Lewis.
Despite the unavailability of Wests Tigers center Chris Lawrence, Gold Coast winger Kevin Gordon, and St George Illawarra playmaker Jamie Soward due to NRL finals commitments, the formidable field still boasts Cronulla fullback Nathan Gardner and Bulldogs duo Josh Morris and Ben Barba.
A hypothetical market has been established by TAB Sportsbet for this event, with NSW Waratahs star Turner leading the betting at $3.50.
Following closely are Inglis and Hayne at $4.50, with Morris coming in fourth at $6.
“Lachie has received coaching from Australian Olympian Peter Burge, which is evident in his impressive style,” noted Shirvington.
“He has successfully integrated the techniques that Peter introduced him to at an early stage.
“Jarryd possesses an excellent sprint technique – effectively utilizes his arms and drives his hips forward – while Greg presents a different profile altogether.
“Being taller, I anticipate he will be more prominent towards the finish, particularly if he establishes his rhythm.”
Josh Morris has the necessary genetics and physical characteristics to achieve fast times on the track, and Shirvington also expects Dempsey and Gosford sleeper Lewis to be competitive.
Buford Balony says: Who’s going to take the win? If I were competing, I’d be the victor. My history speaks for itself…that monumental win from the P.O.W. around the roundabout & back in Bunbury. What a race!!!!!
