Bryan Clay maintains his lead in the decathlon after a 7.78m long jump (© Getty Images)
Bryan Clay tops the long jump too, decathlon after event two
World leading decathlete Bryan Clay (USA) is, not surprisingly, at the top of the Olympic Decathlon competition after the first two events. The 28-year-old, who was the silver medallist at the 2004 Olympics, jumped 7.78m, a season’s best and his best wind legal mark since Athens where he set his PB 7.96m.
Clay, whose decathlon does not include any weak events before the 1500m, is now leading with 1994 points, 34 more than countryman Trey Hardee, who is second with 1960 after event two. Clay is now 85 points ahead of his PB series 8832 from earlier this season and going for a total score of more than 8900.
The Olympic record stands at 8893 points by reigning Olympic champion Roman Sebrle (CZE) in 2004.
Hardee has also started well, his long jump result was 7.72m and he is still well within reach for the medals. Sebrle jumped a season’s best 7.68m and is 7th with 1794 points at this stage. The Czech World record holder has to do much better in the remaining three events of the day than he has done earlier this season, otherwise he will be too far away from the others even before day two starts.
Oleksiy Kasyanov (UKR) is third with 1918 points after a 7.56m long jump and German Michael Schrader fourth with 1891 (7.70m long jump).
Medal favourite Andrei Krauchanka (BLR) continued well in the jump with 7.61m and is 5th with 1832 and only 13 points off his 8585 season’s best result at this stage.
Cuban Leonel Suárez is also in medal contention following his second personal best in two events, 7.33m in the long jump. He is 8th with 1776 and already 77 ahead of his PB series 8451.
Aleksey Sysoyev (RUS) and Tom Pappas (USA) both have had disappointing starts. Sysoyev jumped only 6.77m with Pappas reaching 7.41m, both already dropping off the top athletes in the competition.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
