Missouri
Big 12 Outdoor Championships
Adcock, Rise Finish 1-2 in Big 12 Decathlon
5/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
May 15, 2010
Final Stats |
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Photo Gallery 
Audio Clips
Nick Adcock Interview | Lars Rise Interview
Andy Oaker and Brooks Mosier Interview | Katie Evans Interview
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Tiger senior Nick Adcock (Kansas City, Mo.) claimed the Big 12 Decathlon title with a personal-best score of 7,704 points, narrowly edging teammate Lars Rise (Trondheim, Norway), who placed second in the event with 7,695 points on Saturday (May 15) at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships. In all, the Tiger men earned 18 points in the decathlon - outscoring five teams in the overall competition - propelling the men to rank third overall with 30 points after the first two days of competition.
"My overall feeling of the meet is influenced heavily by the first- and second-place finishes by Nick and Lars in the decathlon," head coach Rick McGuire said after day two. "It was just thrilling for both of those guys to put up great scores in very difficult weather conditions; it was amazing. Over my career, the combined events have been my primary emphasis, so to have that happen in my final meet as a coach here in Columbia lets me go home with a really great feeling."
Adcock entered the day atop the decathlon standings with 4,018 points and he earned plenty of separation in the day's first event as he earned 941 points in the 110m hurdles after running away with the event title with a time of 14.26. He was the only competitor to clock in under 15 seconds in the event and the 941 points were the second-most scored by any of the 11 decathletes in any of the 10 events. Adcock stayed atop the rankings heading into the final event, but he and Rise were separated by just seven points heading into the final event of the day - the 1,500m run.
"I knew Lars had to beat me by about a second and a half (heading in to the race)," Adcock said after winning. "He was going to try to run pretty quick today, but with the weather conditions he couldn't. We got out well on the first lap but the second lap was slow. I was just going to stay right with him or in front of him. When he passed me I had some kid on my front left and got blocked so I had to follow around. Then I just sat right on him. On the last 100m I pulled ahead and he made a surge and I still had a lot left. I didn't go all out on the 1,500m run, but I did what I had to do."
With the decathlon title, Adcock becomes only the second Big 12 athlete to sweep the Big 12 Indoor Heptathlon and Big 12 Outdoor Decathlon titles in the same season. It also adds to an accolade-filled season for the Tiger senior who said that it was the first time that he was able to smile after a decathlon.
Rise used big marks in the discus (42.15m) and javelin throw (56.99m) to pull close to Adcock after the hurdles and pole vault, but had to settle for second after finishing the 1,500m run just 0.26 seconds behind Adcock. For Rise, it marks his second All-Big 12 honor of the season as he earned a spot on the podium in the heptathlon during the indoor season.
"I did what I could today, but I wish I would have done a little better in the technical events," Rise said. "But I gave it my best. I knew I had to beat Nick by a second in the 1,500m run. I gave it everything I had, but he was just a little bit better than me today. He is the better 1,500m runner anyway. I tried to pass him at the end and I did my best, so I am happy."
The Tiger men also saw plenty of success in the throws events on Saturday as both Andy Oaker (Steelville, Mo.) and Brooks Mosier (Lee's Summit, Mo.) earned All-Big 12 honors in the shot put. Oaker placed fifth in the event with a throw of 17.10m (56-1 ¼) while Mosier finished seventh after tossing 16.74m (54-11 ¼). Both were All-Big 12 honorees during the indoor season and both repeated that feat today despite a cold and rainy day at Walton Stadium. The pair combined to score six points for the Tiger men in the team competition, adding to what Adcock and Rise did in the decathlon. In all, Mizzou scored 24 points on the day on the men's side.
The women were equally as impressive in the throws, highlighted by a fourth-place finish from Katie Evans (Powersville, Mo.) in the discus after measuring in at 49.33m (161-10), a personal-best in the event. Teammate Megan Collins (Lee's Summit, Mo.) also earned All-Big 12 honors by placing eighth overall with a throw of 47.98m (157-5). The pair combined to score six points for the Tiger women in the team competition.
The Tiger women continued to see success in the track events on Saturday, advancing three athletes to tomorrow's event finals. Layne Moore (Emporia, Kan.) highlighted that trio as she ran the second-best qualifying time in the women's 800m run at 2:09.30, running away from the field in her heat. Also advancing to tomorrow's finals is senior Ellen Ries (Ryan, Iowa) who clocked the eighth-best time in the women's 1,500m run at 4:26.67. Leslie Farmer (Jefferson City, Mo.) also advanced to the 400m hurdle finals after clocking in at 59.97, the seventh-best qualifying time.
Moore will run in the 800m final at 5:05 tomorrow afternoon while Ries will run at 3:50 p.m. in one of the first event finals on the day. Farmer will run in the 400m hurdle finals at 5:25 p.m.
The Tiger men advanced two athletes to tomorrow's finals, both of whom will race in the 800m run. Aaron Dixon (Lee's Summit, Mo.) and Blake Irwin (Bettendorf, Iowa) each won their heats in the preliminary races with times of 1:50.54 and 1:51.29, ranking them second and third, respectively, heading into tomorrow's event final, which will be run at 5:15 p.m.
"I though that our kids competed hard," McGuire added. "Layne Moore, Aaron Dixon, Blake Irwin and Leslie Farmer all ran great today and they will all be running tomorrow. I was really pleased with our female freshmen throwers in the discus and I thought our guys in the shot did a great job as well. All in all, I am going home feeling really good about what we were able to do here today."
In all, the Nebraska men lead the overall team competition with 52 points while their female counterparts also sit atop the women's standings with 59 points. The Tiger men sit third with 30 points while the Tiger women are ninth with nine points.
The Big 12 Championships will conclude tomorrow at Walton Stadium. The meet begins at 2 p.m. and should offer some of the finest track and field in the nation this season. For all the latest on Mizzou track and field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com.
Players Mentioned
