The USA's Ashton Eaton launches the discus in the Decathlon Discus Throw at the 12th IAAF World Championships in athletics (© Getty Images)
College Station, Texas, USAAshton Eaton of the University of Oregon set an American collegiate record of 6256 points winning the heptathlon at a meeting at Texas A&M Challenge (29-30). He broke the 6204pt mark set in 2006 by Trey Hardee, the reigning World champion in the Decathlon.
Eaton led from the start, winning Friday's 60m dash in 6.78 and following with a 7.66m Long Jump, a 12.56m Shot Put and a 2.07m clearance in the high jump for a first-day total of 3445. He continued Saturday with the 60m Hurdles (7.86) and the Pole Vault (4.96m), and finished with a 1000m time of 2:38.02. The performance elevated Eaton to the No. 14 position all-time.
The 22-year-old native Oregonian set his Decathlon personal best of 8241 winning the 2009 NCAA championship. he later finished second at the US national championships with 8075 points to earn his ticket to the World Championships where he finished 18th with a 8061 point tally.
Eaton's coaches believe he can reach the 8500 level this year. “Possibly 86,” says new Oregon multi-events coach Harry Marra, “depending on how he does with the throws.”
Solid sprinting...
Curtis Mitchell of Texas A&M won a hot men's 200 in 20.69, jumping to the top of the 2010 world list and beating Whitney Prevost (20.81) and Gerald Phiri of Zambia who clocked 21.05. It was a massive improvement for the 20-year-old Mitchell whose previous best indoors was 20.99 from earlier this season. Outdoors, he's clocked 20.58. Mitchell’s Texas A&M teammate, Tabarie Henry of the US Virgin Islands, also moved to the top of the yearly list in the 400m with a six-metre victory in 45.81, an indoor personal best for the 22-year-old. Phiri, 21, won the 60m in 6.66.
...and some good jumping as well
Good jumping performances included Shara Proctor's 6.60m leap in the women's Long Jump. Proctor, who competes for the University of Florida, leaped to a 6.71m national record for Anguilla at the World Championships in Berlin last August where she finished sixth.
Tina Sutej of Slovenia, who set a 4.32m national record on 23 January, won the women’s Pole Vault here with 4.25m and had a narrow miss at 4.33m. Jamaican Julian Reid won the men’s Triple Jump with 16.45m.
James Dunaway for the IAAF
