April 13, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo.--It felt like an early-summer day at the Audrey Walton Combined Events in Columbia, Mo., on Thursday. With temperatures in the upper-80s and a nice southerly breeze, the conditions were right for some good performances in the decathlon and heptathlon. After day one, Breanna Eveland leads in the women's decathlon, an event of its kind being held for only the second time in North America. Tiger post-collegian Fiona Asigbee leads the women's heptathlon and former K-Stater Darius Draudvila is in front in the men's decathlon. Tiger senior Hans Uldal had a fantastic day one with a 127-point improvement on his former day one personal best. Better yet, he could be looking at a new school record that eclipses 8,000 points.
Women's Decathlon
Eveland, a junior at Kansas State, is the day one leader in the women's decathlon after scoring 3,724 points in the first five events. Eveland's first-half score is nearly 50 points better than her 2005 score that yielded a collegiate and American record final score of 6,821. The third-event of the day, the pole vault, is where Eveland shined. In her usual specialty event, she cleared 14-1¼ (4.30m), scoring 1,018 points in that event alone and breaking the Walton Stadium record in the event. If Eveland should top her score from last year, she will break her own North American, American, and collegiate records in the newly-accepted event.
In a close second in the women's decathlon, World Record Holder Austra Skujyte stands with 3,699 points. She stands about 250 points off of her world-record day one total of 3,890. Skujyte's best event of the day was the discus as she threw for 161-5 (49.21m). K-State's Marianna Schlachter is third at 3,039, competing in the first women's decathlon of her career.
Men's Decathlon
Former K-State Wildcat Darius Draudvila leads the men's decathlon with 4,229 points with Lincoln University's Decosma Wright in second at 4,012.
Tiger senior Hans Uldal is in third with 3,996 points, an 127-point improvement from his previous personal best. Uldal, a 2004 Olympian and three-time All-American at Mizzou, pushed ahead with a great high jump performance of 6-4¾ (1.95m). Uldal's historically better day is the second and with a solid score and a minimal improvement on some of his events, he could claim a score that eclipses 8,000.
Tiger post-collegian Knut Sommerfeldt is in fifth place with a score of 3,912, an 127-point improvement over his previous best set in 2003 at the Big 12 Championships. The three-time Big 12 Champion is also a better day two contender.
Women's Heptathlon
Tiger post-collegian Fiona Asigbee leads after day one of the women's heptathlon with 3,448 points. Missouri State's Tracy Partain is in second with 3,410 points. Another Tiger post-collegian, Michelle Moran, stands third with 3,157. This is Moran's first heptathlon since the 2004 USATF Olympic Trials.
The bright spot for Mizzou was the day one performance of sophomore Kaela Rorvig. After four events, Rorvig is in ninth place with 2,964, upping her previous day-one best by 115 points. Rorvig benefited by three personal bests on the day including a breakthrough clocking in the 200-meter dash of 25.18, bettering her previous best of 25.52.
Tom Botts Preview
The Audrey Walton Combined Events continue Friday at 11 a.m. The 10th annual Tom Botts Invitational also begins Friday and runs thru Saturday. Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri State, and Iowa State are among the teams competing. Saturday's program runs only three hours starting at Noon.
Good fields are expected in the men's hammer throw, discus, and shot put as well as both men's and women's 800-meter dashes. The hammer throw will be held Friday starting at 4 p.m., at Reactor Field. The men's discus starts Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with the men's shot put at 2 p.m. The 800-meter races are slated for Saturday at 2 as well.
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