Hawai'i decathlete in second after five events at U.S. trials

By Elliott Denman
Special to the Advertiser

Bryan Clay said his long jump "wasn't the greatest", but won the event with a leap of 24 feet, 11 inches during the first day of the decathlon. Associated Press photos FEATS OF CLAY Bryan Clay's decathlon day: 100 meters: 10.48 (1st over-all); Career decathlon best: 10.39 Long jump: 24-11 (1st over-all); Career decathlon best: 26-5 Shot put: 50-1 1/2 (3rd place); Previous decathlon best: 49-5´ High jump: 6-7 (7th place.); Career decathlon best: 6-9à 400 meter: 47.90 (4th place.); Career decathlon best: 47.85 First-day total: 4,471 points (2nd place)

Tom Pappas led the men's decathlon with 4,474 points after the first day at the USA Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif.

Sure, aficionados of the decathlon recognize the '98 Castle High graduate as one of the brightest of all prospects in the 10-event competition.

They know the '02 Azusa College graduate, now 24, has a career-best 8,482 points in his resumÚ, and has placed 3-2-2 in the last three U.S. National championships.

But they also check his dossier and note that he's been unable to finish his two starts at the World Championships, at Edmonton in 2001 and Paris in 2003. Leg injuries put him on the sidelines each time.

So the USA Olympic Trials at Sacramento State University's Hornet Stadium represent Clay's grandest opportunity to make a mark on the world stage.

In the first five events yesterday, Clay totaled 4,471 points to hold second place, a mere three points behind 2003 world champion Tom Pappas, who is the overwhelming favorite.

Clay won two of the events, the 100-meter dash and long jump, and was no worse than seventh in any.

With five events left, only some continuing left leg problems stand in the way of Clay's Olympic bid.

"My 100 wasn't that great, and I dinged my hamstring a little bit; I wasn't sure if I was going to do the long jump," he said.

But he hung in there.

"My long jump wasn't the greatest, either, maybe 85 percent, but I got some treatment for my leg, and that helped.

"The shot (put) went OK; it wasn't bad for me, just because I've been getting some pretty good throws in practice the last couple of weeks.

"The high jump may be one of my poorest events; I was ready to jump higher today. Then I wasn't sure how the 400 was going to go, just because of my leg; it felt tight and sore, but was still all right."

The top three Trials decathletes earn tickets to August's Athens Olympic Games, and the heavy favorite remains Pappas, 27, the ex-Tennessee star who owns a career best of 8,784 points, that ranks second only to former world record-holder Dan O'Brien's 1992 score of 8,891 on the all-time American list.

But Clay is ready to press Pappas all the way if his left leg holds up.

The opening 100 saw Clay blaze home in 10.48 seconds. Penn State alum Ryan Olkowski ran second in 10.55; Pappas clocked a 10.75.

Clay followed with a second straight win, aching leg and all, long jumping 24-11. Pappas was next best at 24-7 1/2, Olkowski third at 24-5.

Next up was the shot put, and Clay muscled out a 50-foot, 1 1/2-inch performance, his best ever in decathlon competition by over eight inches. But Pappas moved ahead of the pack, with an event-winning 52-1.

Olkowski, a sprint-jump specialist in his first season of big-time decathlon competition, surged back to win the high jump at 6-11, with Pappas at 6-9à, but Clay stayed strong with a 6-7 clearance, good for seventh place.

The 400 ended first-day decathlon action, and Clay ran a strong 47.90, fourth over-all, just behind Olkowski (47.74) but ahead of Pappas (48.01.)

"All in all, I'd call it a solid performance," said Clay. "I'm not even sure about my points, and I know I can't relax. As everybody knows, anything can happen in a decathlon."

Everything's now on the line today in the concluding 110 high hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500 meters.