So when a news-service report on the Home Depot track and field Invitational at Carson, Calif., indicated that decathlete Bryan Clay of Honolulu had improved his personal best long jump by 7 3/4 inches, it looked like a typographical error.

His first name was misspelled in the results, but the length of the jump was accurate, Clay confirmed Monday. He jumped 25 feet, 7 1/2 inches, easily eclipsing his previous best of 24-11 3/4 at last year's NAIA championships.

How did the 23-year-old make such a giant improvement at this stage of his career, as he trains for next year's U.S. Olympic Trials?

Clay, ranked No. 4 in the world in the decathlon, graduated from Azusa Pacific University on May 3 and three generous friends from Honolulu (who ask to be anonymous) have volunteered to underwrite some of his expenses in preparing for the Olympics.

"It makes a whole lot of things possible that wouldn't be," Clay said. "I'm not getting rich, but it helps me buy food and supplements and I only have to work part-time instead of full-time. It also helps when I'm traveling to a meet. Now I can afford to go a day early to get acclimated."

The combination of reduced demands on his time (no classes, no tests) and a relatively worry-free financial situation have made it possible for Clay to concentrate solely on the decathlon for the first time, he said.

"It's the first time that I am able to train and do the things I need to do to get better," Clay said. "I am putting in a lot more time on the track, and I've got more time for (weight) lifting.

"Also, I don't the have the pressures of peaking for the NAIA indoor and outdoor meets (to compete for Azusa Pacific). I can plan my training as I see fit and where he (Kevin Reid, his coach) thinks I need to be.

BRYAN CLAY

Clay continues to live in Azusa, Calif., and work out at Azusa Pacific. He said he would like to come home around Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Year's and put on a free clinic for kids here and "give back to the community," but he needs a sponsor for that, too.