2011 USA Outdoor: Ashton Eaton Wins Dec, scores WL 8729, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

Ashton Eaton, USA Outdoor, Decathlon, photo by PhotoRun.net

A jubilant Harry Marra, coach of Ashton Eaton, and I chatted just before the 1500 meters of the decathlon. “This is Ashton’s first decathlon in nearly a year, he got some rust out.” noted Marra, the dean of American decathlon coaches.

Ashton Eaton, USA Outdoor, Decathlon, photo by PhotoRun.net

Eaton impressed. His 110m hurdles is second in the world to only Frank Buseman of Germany from 1996 (13.47). Eaton has learnt to throw, and his final 1,500 meters, in 4:24.10, showed the promise of this young man.

As I noted on our RN broadcast, Ashton Eaton will be a star in 2012, 2016 and 2020. We have a decathlete legacy once again!

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Ashton Eaton, USA Outdoor, decathlon, photo by PhotoRun.net

DECATHLON: WL FOR EATON, CLAY IS
OUT

EUGENE (USA, Jun 24): Olympic decathlon
winner Bryan Clay crashed out of the decathlon in a 110m hurdles fall, but said
he hoped to make the World Championships team. Clay strained his right calf
when he hit a hurdle and fell. Because he holds the ‘A’ qualifying standard
(8200, and he has 8483 last year in Gotzis), such an appeal could succeed,
specially when second Jon Harlan has only B-standard (8011) and third Miller
Moss (7878) is without the standard. USA can have four athletes in decathlon,
title defender Trey Hardee competed on Friday in two decathlon events (44.91 in discus and 505 in pole vault) and also
equalled his 110 m
hurdles PB in individual heats (13.69, +0.6). Clay is unlucky in last two World
trials, in 2009 he withdrew from the trials without competing because of a hamstring
injury. World indoor record holder Ashton Eaton was the hero of the day as he
scored 8729 points, what is new world leader, personal best and 5th best US
all-time. He started Friday with best US decathlon time ever 13.52 (+1.6) at 110 m hurdles (and second
best globally, only German Frank Busemann 13.47 in Atlanta at 1996
Olympics was faster), continued with 41.58 discus, 505 pole vault, 56.19
javelin PB and ended with fast 4:24.10 in the 1500 m.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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