Sharon Day long jumping in the USA Champs Heptathlon (© Kirby Lee)
27 June 2011Olympic Silver medallist Hyleas Fountain who was the overnight leader after the first day (25) of action in Heptathlon at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, fell foul to illness on day two (Sun 26).
Fountain dropped to sixth place after leading after the first day. Fountain, who had been bothered by food poisoning throughout the week, took only one jump in the opening event the Long Jump (5.96m) before asking to be escorted off the infield.
In her absence, Sharon Day won the Heptathlon with 6058 points. Fountain, had garnered 3706 points to lead Day by 43 points after the first four events, and without the Olympic silver medallist, Day, who was 10th at the 2009 World Championships, took the win with a 5.92m Long Jump, 41.67m Javelin Throw and a 2:16.53 800m.
However, she did not have it all her own way as she was closed down in the Long Jump (5.99) and a fast 800m (2:08.96) by Ryann Krais, which along with her Javelin Throw of 40.53m, while close to her PB of 40.75m, left her just 28 points short of Day’s final total. Krais finished second with 6030pts.
In third was Chantae McMillan, with 6003, the only other athlete over 6000 points.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
