UP-Tuks’ Ruan Combrink defied the odds when he snatched the Shot Put title from the more fancied Ryno van Winkel of UFS-Kovsies and UJ’s Johnny Botha at the Varsity Athletics meeting in Potchefstroom.
Both Botha and van Winkel hold personal bests of well over the 17 metre mark but could only muster throws of 16.63 and 16.37 metres respectively to be pipped by the underdog Combrink, who claimed a personal best of 16.97 metres.
“It is a great feeling to have come out on top because the other competitors were older than me and they [Botha and van Winkel] have personal bests of well over 17 metres.
“I was the underdog in the event and they were putting everything into their throws to better their personal bests but thankfully for me, they never managed to do that. Going into the event, my only aim was to improve my personal best of 16.71 metres and three of my four throws was over 16.80 metres.
“So to say I am happy with the way I am throwing is an understatement. I know the 17 metre mark is in my reach and my aim for this year is to exceed the 17.50 metre mark,” he told varsitysportssa.com.
The 20-year-old Mechanical Engineering student was overwhelmed by UP-Tuks claiming top honours at the first meeting but his focus will now shift to the SA Under-23 Championships and the SA Senior Championships in April.
“I cannot describe the feeling when UP-Tuks won the meeting – it was that awesome. It is a good way to start the Varsity Athletics event and hopefully we can keep improving on the foundation we have set.
“My focus will now change to the upcoming SA Under-23 Championships in Bloemfontein and the SA Senior Championships in Stellenbosch where my aim for both events will be to place in the top three and also to improve on personal best. I have a long term goal of reaching the 20 metre mark in the next five years, so I will be putting in a lot of hard work to achieve that goal,” he added.
Combrink went on to state that he would like to emulate the feats of Tuks Alumnus Orazio Cremona to keep the strong tradition of the Pretoria university producing world class shot putters.
