Olympic Champion & world record holder, Ashton Eaton, finishes day one winning the 400m dash in 45.86, the 7th best mark in the world this year; Jesse Williams clears 2.26m (7'05") in the High Jump, the fourth best mark in the world this year; five meet records and four stadium records fall on day one
Santa Barbara, Calif. - Another beautiful Santa Barbara day welcomed athletes from around the country and world to the Sam Adams Combined Events Invitational presented by the Santa Barbara Track Club (SBTC) and Westmont College. The “World’s Greatest Athletes” competed in the first day of the two day long decathlon and heptathlon events.
In the Heptathlon, SBTC’s Barbara Nwaba (USA), a UCSB graduate and 2012 NCAA runner-up in the event, leads the competition with 3718 points after strong performances including a 13.77 in the 100m Hurdles, 1.78m (5'10") in the High Jump and a 24.10 in the 200m Dash, the final event of the day.
Another Santa Barbara local, Patrick Smith, a senior at Chico State and two-time NCAA Division II national champion (2012 and 2013), leads the Decathlon after day one with 3948 points. Smith had consistent performances throughout the day, including a 10.95 in the 100m, 7.26m (23’10") in the Long Jump, and a 50.27 in the 400m Dash to close out the day. Smith was a 2009 graduate of Dos Pueblos High School.
The Eatons Back in Santa Barbara
Kicking off the elite sections of the day was the men's Decathlon 100m Dash, featuring 2012 Olympic Champion and world record holder, Ashton Eaton (USA). Eaton cruised to a 10.43 (1.7 m/s) win. A few minutes later, in the women’s 100m Hurdles, it was Eaton’s wife, Brianne Theisen-Eaton (CAN), coming away with a win in a strong 13.29.
The Eatons, who reside in Eugene, OR and compete for the Oregon Track Club are training in Santa Barbara once again this Spring leading up to the start of their outdoor season. They competed as guest athletes on day one and did not compete in the full competition. Eaton rounded out the day in the 400m winning in 45.86, the seventh fastest mark in the world this year and just off his meet and stadium record, 45.64, set in 2013. Theisen-Eaton also competed in the Shot Put, throwing 13.92m (45'8").
Day 1 in the Decathlon
2014 USA Indoor Heptathlon champion, Gray Horn, led the decathlon after four events, but a back injury kept him out of the 400m Dash, the final event of the day. Horn won the Long Jump, out distancing 2013 IAAF World Championship bronze medalist in the Decathlon, Damian Warner (CAN), 7.64m (25'00.75") to 7.62m (25'00"), setting a new meet and stadium record.
In the High Jump, 2011 IAAF World Champion in the event, Jesse Williams (USA), competed as a guest athlete, skying over 7’5" and setting a new meet and stadium record. SBTC’s Tom FitzSimons led all decathletes with a jump over 6’6.25" and finished his first day in fourth place.
Over in the Shot Put ring, U.S. Junior and High School Decathlon record holder, Gunnar Nixon, set a meet record with a toss of 15.03m (49'03.75"), outdistancing Eaton's 2013 record.
Day 1 in the Heptathlon
In the heptathlon, guest athletes Antoinette Nana Djimou (FRA), a 3-time European Champion in the Heptathlon, won the Shot Put with a toss of 14,48m (47’06.25"), a new meet and stadium record, while Jessica Zelinka, Canadian record holder in the Heptathlon was second in 14.06m (46’01.50").
SBTC athlete Lindsay Schwartz (USA) is second with 3577 points on the heels of a 13.90 in the 100m Hurdles and a 24.20 in the 200m to finish off her afternoon.
The competition resumes tomorrow at 9:30am with the collegiate sections. The Decathlon A section begins at 11:30am and the Heptathlon A section at 12:00pm.
Complete Results and information: http://santabarbaratc.com/sam-adams-combined-events-invitational/