FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012 – MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: Zach Lawson (zlawson@uark.edu)

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Three in top 10 at Mt. SAC Relays decathlon

 

            FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Completed late Wednesday night in Azusa, Calif., day one the Mt. SAC Relays decathlon features three Razorbacks in the top 10. Gunnar Nixon is in fifth place overall, and third among collegians, with 4,075 points. He is joined in the top 10 by teammates Kevin Lazas in sixth place and Terry Prentice in ninth place. Auston Chen and Nathanael Franks are in 11^th and 14^th place, respectively, after day one.

            Nixon began the day with a ninth-place finish at 100 meters and went on to finish 11^th and ninth in the long jump and shot put, respectively. He made his charge up the standings with a third-place result in the high jump with a clearance of 2.03m/6-8 which was worth 831 points. Nixon closed out the day with a time of 48.85 at 400 meters, good for fourth place in the event and 868 points toward his day-one total.

            Lazas’ total through five events is 4,042 points with the help three top-five event finishes and two personal bests. The Razorback sophomore was third in the long jump with a career-best mark of 7.51m/24-7.75. He followed that up with another personal-best effort of 14.06m/46-1.5 in the shot put. Lazas’ other top-five result came in the 100 meters where he finished with a time of 10.98.

            Competing approximately 13 miles from his hometown of Pomona, Calif., Prentice turned in a day-one total of 3,946 points. His highest result of the day came with a fourth-place finish in the long jump. On his second attempt, he got out to a mark of 7.42m/24-4.25 which added 915 points to his score. In the shot put, Prentice had a personal-best effort with a throw of 12.96m/42-6.25, nearly three feet past his previous best.

            Chen was the Razorbacks’ top performer in the first event of the day, the 100-meter dash. He finished fourth overall in the event with a time of 10.88, good for 888 points. Chen produced other top-10 finishes with a sixth-place result in the shot put at 13.93m/45-8.5 and a seventh-place finish in the long jump at 7.33m/24-0.75. He finished day one with 3,872 points.

            Arkansas’ results were rounded out by Franks who posted a score of 3,832 points through the first five events. He finished in eighth place in the shot put with a best effort of 13.78m/45-2.5. In the day’s finale, Franks was the runner-up at 400 meters with a time of 48.31, good for 894 points. He finished just .03 seconds away from the top spot in the event.

            Day two of the decathlon will feature competition in the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500 meters. Lazas is the current American junior record holder in the decathlon with 7,703 points scored last season at the SEC Championships in Athens, Ga.

The decathlon at the Mt. SAC Relays resumes Thursday at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at Cougar Stadium in Azusa, Calif. Arkansas’ distance crew is also slated to compete Thursday in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and at 10,000 meters. For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

 

Mt. SAC Relays Results

 

Decathlon – Day 1

5. Gunnar Nixon – 4,075 points

            9. 100m – 11.10 – 838 points

            11. Long jump – 7.05m/23-1.75 – 826 points

            9. Shot put – 13.74m/45-1 – 712 points

            3. High jump – 2.03m/6-8 – 831 points

            4. 400m – 48.85 – 868 points

6. Kevin Lazas – 4,042 points

            5. 100m – 10.98 – 865 points

            3. Long jump – 7.51m/24-7.75 (PR) – 937 points

            5. Shot put – 14.06m/46-1.5 (PR) – 732 points

            9. High jump – 1.97m/6-5.5 – 776 points

            18. 400m – 51.84 – 732 points

9. Terry Prentice – 3,946 points

            10. 100m – 11.11 – 836 points

            4. Long jump – 7.42m/24-4.25 – 915 points

            13. Shot put – 12.96m/42-6.25 (PR) – 665 points

            9. High jump – 1.97m/6-5.5 – 776 points

            16. 400m – 51.33 – 754 points

11. Auston Chen – 3,872 points

            4. 100m – 10.88 – 888 points

            7. Long jump – 7.33m/24-0.75 – 893 points

            6. Shot put – 13.93m/45-8.5 – 724 points

            17. High jump – 1.76m/5-9.25 – 593 points

            14. 400m – 50.88 – 50.88 – 774 points

14. Nathanael Franks – 3,832 points

            14. 100m – 11.31 – 793 points

            16. Long jump – 6.66m/21-10.25 – 734 points

            8. Shot put – 13.78m/45-2.5 – 715 points

            15. High jump – 1.88m/6-2 – 696 points

            2. 400m – 48.31 – 894 points

 

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