A SOCCER player who grew up in war-torn Congo has emerged as a possible international AFL recruit after impressing in the final stages of testing at the US Combine.
Omari Gudul came second in the 3km time trial in Los Angeles, running a time of 11:27 minutes to highlight his strong athletic base.
He was just shaded by John Cannon, a 206cm prospect who won the endurance test in 11:24.
Gudul arrived at the combine this week via Texas, but was born in the Congo before moving with his 11 brothers and sisters to Kenya.
He converted from soccer to basketball at high school, with the AFL's national and international talent manager Kevin Sheehan saying Gudul's sporting swap had piqued the interest of AFL clubs.
"The change from soccer to basketball led him to a scholarship at Angelo State College in Texas in the USA, but a shift to Australia to change codes again is a genuine possibility," Sheehan said.
"Gudul is a 201cm athlete built like Nic Naitanui and he recorded a time of just three seconds behind the best and added to his other impressive workouts, particularly with the Sherrin in hand over the last few days."
This year's US combine concluded at Redondo Beach on Thursday, with the 18 AFL hopefuls spending more time familiarising themselves with the oval ball and progressing their skills.
At least two players will be brought over to Australia to trial at AFL clubs in coming months, with Richmond and North Melbourne to get first look after being the two clubs to attend the screening in LA.
Sheehan said the group had been buoyed by the debut of American Mason Cox this week, with the Collingwood ruckman taking part in the corresponding combine two years ago.
"For most attendees at the combine in LA it was to try out a game they had only seen for a fleeting moment on television without any appreciation of the rules or skills," he said.
"Now three days on and somewhat fuelled by the Mason Cox debut, the AFL hopefuls have been besieged by the USA and Australian media on their impressions of a game they have just met.
"And the collective response has been that they have loved every part of it, even the 3km time trial, a test over a distance totally foreign to them."
Omari Gudul during the agility test at the US Combine. Picture: Lachlan Cunningham
US Combine 3km time trial results
John Cannon (UNC Asheville, North Carolina) – 11:24 minutes
Omari Gudul (Angelo State University, Texas) – 11:27
Jacquez Rozier (Middle Tennessee State University) – 12:11
Ikem Eriobuna (Allen University, South Carolina) – 12:17
Derrick Williams (Park University, Missouri) – 12:23
Comparison with AFL's US imports
Mason Cox (Collingwood) – 11:59
Jason Holmes (St Kilda) – 12:37
Matt Korcheck (Carlton) – 12:08
Comparison with other AFL ruckmen in their draft year
Andrew Phillips (Carlton) – 11:06
Tom Hickey (St Kilda) – 11:07
Daniel Currie (Gold Coast) – 11:33
Marc Pittonet (Hawthorn) – 11:48
Brodie Grundy (Collingwood) – 11:50
Shaun Hampson (Richmond) – 12:05
Matthew Leuenberger (Essendon) – 12:46
Dawson Simpson (GWS) – 12:49
Tom Bellchambers (Essendon) – 13:07
