![Tulane junior Jelena Jurlina will compete in the NCAA National Championships on Wednesday afternoon in Austin, Texas. [File photo by Ned Dishman]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Ftulanegreenwave.com%2Fimages%2F2004%2F6%2F8%2Fjurlina030104.jpg&height=300&type=webp)
Jelena Jurlina to Compete at Nationals
Jun 8, 2004 | Track & Field
June 8, 2004
AUSTIN, Texas - After an impressive showing at the NCAA Regional Championships, Tulane University junior Jelena Jurlina will look to improve again at the NCAA National Championship this week at Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.
Jurlina, a native of Croatia, will compete in the javelin and the discus at the Nationals. The preminary rounds for each event are on Wednesday afternoon. The javelin qualifiers begin at 1 p.m. while the first round of the discus opens at 4 p.m. Jurlina is looking to become the first female All-American for the Green Wave since the 2001 Indoor season when Marie Ahlander (Triple Jump) and Nadja Petersen (400-meter dash) each earned the honor.
"Jelena is throwing very, very well right now," Tulane coach Heather Van Norman said. "Last year, she came up 10th last year [in the javelin] and just missed All-America honors. This year her goal is to be a two-time All-American. I think she has a great chance of doing just that. She is ranked 10th in both events, but rankings have little to do with it in a track meet, it is a clean slate and she just needs to throw her best."
Jurlina had a throw of 153 feet, four inches in the javelin at last year's NCAA Championships to finish 10th. The top eight finishers earn All-America recognition.
In the NCAA Regional Championships last week in Baton Rouge, Jurlina finished third in the javelin and fourth in the discus. She had a mark of 156 feet, three inches in the javelin, while her discus effort was one of the more eye-opening experiences of the Regional. Entering the Championship with a career-best throw of 163 feet, the Wave star launched the discus 181 feet, three inches, surpassing her previous school record by over 18 feet.
Tulane has had just one individual earn All-America honors in two events during the same championship. Hanne Lyngstad, a six-time All-American overall, finished in the top eight in the mile-run and the distance-medley relay during the 1999 NCAA Indoor Championships.
If Jurlina advances in Wednesday's opening rounds, she will compete on Friday in the finals. The discus final is at 3:30 p.m., with the javelin final beginning at 8:15 p.m.
Players Mentioned
