Great Southwest Classic Preview

MULTI-EVENTS


BOYS DECATHLON

The American High School all-time record was broken here in consecutive years (2008-9) by Albuquerque's Curtis Beach and Oklahoma's Gunnar Nixon. Both those young men are top ten contenders for next year's Olympic team, with Beach scoring 8,81 point to win a Santa Barbara decathlon only three weeks ago.

This year, surprisingly, none of the entries have established scores that remotely threaten Nixon's reigning 8,035 standard; nevertheless, the grueling ten-event program over Thursday and Friday presents opportunity for the gritty and the brave.

GIRLS HEPTATHLON

In 2008, Pennsylvania's Ryann Krais set a 5,522 record that foretold her future representing this country internationally. Two of this year's highest scores will push each other over the 5,000 mark but probably not attack Krais record. California's Lyndsey Lopes (4,984) comes from Fresno to meet Illinois' Maya Neal (4,953) in what promises to be an intriguing duel, and one well worth a trip to University Stadium Thursday and Friday, before Saturday's grand climax.

GIRLS DECATHLON

This rarely-contested multi-event will find versatile athletes from eight states experiencing the additional challenge of what may become its own event in the next two Olympiads.

2015 Great Southwest Classic Previews:

Great Southwest Classic: Meet Page | Day 1 Photos | Last Year's Coverage