University of Oregon
Texas Relays
Eaton, Theisen on Torrid Combined Event Pace at Texas Relays
03/31/10 | Track and Field
AUSTIN, Texas -- In their first combined events competition of the spring, Ashton Eaton and Brianne Theisen showed why they are the defending NCAA champions in the decathlon and heptathlon, respectively, by scoring first-day personal records Wednesday at the Texas Relays.
The two are on pace to challenge Oregon school records Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
In the decathlon for Eaton, the stakes may be a little higher.
The junior from Bend, Ore., set lifetime bests in the first three events to score a first day personal record of 4,494 points. Texas A&M's Trinity Otto was second with 4,187 points.
Eaton's score, according to Garry Hill of Track & Field News, is 92 points better than what Trey Hardee of Texas scored when he established the current collegiate record of 8,465 points in 2006. Hardee was at 4,402 on day one. Eaton's previous first day PR was 4,367 points at the 2009 NCAA Championships.
Wednesday, Eaton won the 100 meters in 10.34 seconds before capturing the long jump with a terrific leap of 25-10.25. He then took third in the shot put with his third PR of the day, a mark of 43-0.25.
Eaton then tied for first in the high jump with the bar at 6-7.5. He concluded the day by winning the 400 meters in 47.06.
The University of Oregon decathlon record is 8,176 points, set by Pedro daSilva in 1992. Eaton has surpassed that mark, scoring 8,241 points in winning the 2009 NCAA title, but a wind of plus-4.1 meters per second in the 100 meters was just above the legal threshold of plus-4.0 mps allowed in the combined events.
Theisen, the defending Canadian national heptathlon champion, set heptathlon personal bests in the high jump and shot put and matched her PR in the 100 meter hurdles. She finished day one with 3,651 points, leading Angelo State's Aisha Adams by 166 points.
The junior from Humboldt, Sask., won the hurdles in 13.69 seconds, matching her heptathlon PR. She then established a heptathlon PR in winning the high jump at 5-10.75 and set another in a second-place finish in the shot put, throwing 41-5.
She finished Wednesday by winning the 200 meters in 24.34.
Theisen's first day total was 67 points better than her previous first day best, 3,584 set at the 2009 Pac-10 Championships. Theisen currently holds the school record of 6,086 points that she scored when she won the 2009 NCAA Championship.
Also in the decathlon, senior Marshall Ackley is in 14th place with 3,524 points.
The senior from Nyssa, Ore., matched his decathlon PR in the high jump with a clearance at 6-0.5.
- www.GoDucks.com -
Players Mentioned
