Clay leads through three events

American outstanding through three events

Appeal Staff Report

If Bryan Clay keeps this up, Kevin Reid won't just be able to claim he's the coach of the World's Greatest Athletes. He'll be able to claim he's the coach of the World's Greatest Athlete of All Time.

Clay got off to a resounding start through the first three events of the decathlon on Wednesday night in Beijing, China. In his third event, the shot put, Clay threw a personal best of 53 feet, 4 1/2 inches.

The throw helped Clay to a lead in the decathlon through three events as he had 2,862 points. The Ukraine's Oleksly Kasyanov was second with 2,717 points and another American, Trey Hardee, was third with 2,657 points.

Clay is coached by Reid, a 1983 Carson High graduate. Reid is the Asuza Pacific men's track coach and also coached Clay at Azusa Pacific.

If Clay keeps up his pace, he will not only have an outstanding shot to break Dan O'Brien's American record of 8,891 points, but could also have a shot at Roman Sebrle's world record of 9,026 points. Serbrle was in 10th after three events with 2,570 points.

When Clay set the U.S. Olympic Trials record of 8,832 points in Eugene, Ore., he actually struggled in the long jump and the shot put.

There were no such struggles on Wednesday.

Clay finished first in the 100 meters and long jump and second in the shot put on Wednesday.

Clay began by running 10.44 seconds in the 100, just off his mark of 10.39 that he ran in Eugene.

Clay then leaped 25 feet, 6 1/4 inches in the long jump.

Hardee was neck and neck with Clay through the first two events as he ran 10.52 in the 100 and leaped 25 1 3/4 in the long jump. But Hardee struggled in the shot put, throwing only 44 feet 2 1/2 inches.

The decathlon will conclude on Friday morning.