Clay sets decathlon record at Olympic Trials

EUGENE, Ore. " After a wild two days of a decathlon that had plenty of thrills and scares, the mood has now given way to giddiness.

Bryan Clay escaped an "off" first day and put it all together to eclipse his personal best to win the decathlon in the U.S. Olympic Trials on Monday at Hayward Field. Clay won with 8,832 points, which eclipsed his personal best of 8,820 and set a trials record in the process. The 8,832 points also shattered the world's best mark this year so far of 8,585 points.

And since the second and third-place finishers, Trey Hardee (8,534) and Tom Pappas (8,511) had the third and fourth best marks in the world this year, there's already talk of a possible 1-2-3 sweep by the Americans in Beijing next month.

Clay may have gotten caught up in the moment when he was interviewed by Dan O'Brien, American record holder in the decathlon, on the field afterward.

"I definitely think so," said Clay when asked by O'Brien after if the Americans would sweep.

Pappas was a little more realistic in the media interview session afterward.

"Anything is possible," Pappas said. "It's going to be hard. It's possible. If we all put it together for those two days, it's definitely possible."

One thing's for sure. Clay is now the Olympic gold favorite.

"Bryan's the guy to beat," Pappas said.

"I really believe I will come home with the gold medal if I stay focused and do my job," Clay said.

Also in range for Clay could be Roman Serble's world record of 9,026 points.

It actually could have been in range at these trials if Clay had struggled in the long jump and the shot put on Sunday.

The hangover effect almost led to Clay not even qualifying for the Olympics as he almost no-heighted in the high jump on Sunday. But he cleared his first height of 6 feet, 0 1/2 inches on his third and final attempt, and he was solid from that point on.

Clay gave a great deal of credit to his support system, including his head coach, Kevin Reid, a 1983 Carson High graduate.

"I am very blessed. My college coach is a great friend of mine," said Clay about Reid, who has coached Clay ever since he arrived at Azusa Pacific. "He's a huge part of what I do in my success."

Reid is also the ringleader of several coaches who direct Clay in the decathlon.

"(He) kind of heads up the group of coaches I have," Clay said.

Clay apparently likes living on the edge as he false started to begin the day on Monday in the 110-meter high hurdles. Another false start would have meant a disqualification and no trip to Beijing.

But it wasn't nearly as dramatic as the high jump. There was really no danger of a second false start and Clay finished in 13.75 seconds, .01 second off of his personal best.

Hardee ran a personal best 13.71 to keep things close, but then Clay took charge in the next event, the discus.

Hardee threw 173 feet to finish first in the event. He also broke one of the oldest " and most obscure records " in doing so.

Clay broke the Hayward Field discus record in the decathlon set by 1960 Olympic champion Rafer Johnson at the 1960 Olympic Trials.

When Hardee, who was throwing 170 in warmups, struggled and couldn't reach 140 feet when it counted, the win was Clay's.

Clay went on to solid performances in the pole vault (16-4 1/2), the javelin (231-5) and the final event, the 1,500 (4:49).

"I was going to come out and make this happen," said Clay about having a solid day. "I was just going to make it happen."