Ulrich, a small-town Illinois kid turned ACC star, unleashed a monster throw of 205-5 on her fourth attempt. That heave was good enough to edge out NCAA champ Veronica Fraley and stamp her ticket as a bonafide Olympic contender.
“I came here to make some noise,” Ulrich told the Courier Journal. “Now we wait to see if it’s enough for Paris.”
The rising senior’s Olympic fate now hangs in the balance of World Athletic rankings, with the final Team USA roster dropping on July 7. But make no mistake, Ulrich’s performance in Eugene was nothing short of Olympian.
This isn’t Ulrich’s first rodeo at Hayward Field. Just weeks ago, she claimed NCAA runner-up honors on the same storied track. But Thursday night, she one-upped herself, surpassing that mark and proving she can hang with the pros.
Ulrich’s been on a tear all season, consistently launching the discus past the 60-meter mark. Her school record of 64.29m (that’s 210-11 for the metrically challenged) has put her in rarified air among collegiate throwers.
But the Card’s not done yet. Ulrich’s gearing up for a shot put showdown on Friday night, looking to add to her hardware collection. She’s already made UofL history as their first female to notch top-five finishes in multiple events at NCAAs.
From the banks of the Ohio to the brink of Olympic glory, Jayden Ulrich is putting Louisville track and field on the map. Paris might just need to make room for a Cardinal come 2024.
