Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

Multi-event track athletes head to Jim Click Combined Events

(Photo by Scott Stuk)
(Photo by Scott Stuk)

Five Sun Devils are ready for their close-ups.

While nearly every athlete will get a break from competition this weekend, the quintet of multi-event athletes will head down to Tucson for the Jim Click Combined Events meet on Thursday and Friday.

In the women’s heptathlon, ASU will send sophomore Samantha Henderson and freshman Keia Pinnick to compete. The heptathlon consists of the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200-meter dash on the first day. The second day of the meet involves the long jump, javelin throw and 800-meter run.

For the men, freshmen Austin Prince and Jeremy Marcinko will join sophomore Jamie Sandys in the decathlon. The men will compete in the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400-meter dash on Thursday. Day two features the 110-meter hurdles, discus throw, pole vault and javelin throw before finishing with a 1,500-meter run.

Each athlete is given a certain number of points based on the time, distance or height they achieve in each specific event.

While the athletes have competed in both the indoor and outdoor season in each individual event, the Jim Click meet marks the first time this season they will compete in all over a two-day period.

ASU coach Greg Kraft said the coaches are interested in seeing how the athletes respond if they falter in an event, noting the ability to have a strong mental attitude is important. Kraft also said that he is looking for multi-event athlete for the Pac-10 Championships in May as well.

“For the coaches, it’s more curiosity,” he said. “They are going to have diversity, and we want to see how they deal with stressful situations. But they’re also competing for a spot at the Pac-10 [Championships].”

Sandys said he is excited to show the coaches the progress he has made with his training.

“My goal is to PR [personal record] in as many events as possible and just show improvement,” he said.

Pinnick also expressed a desire to prove something to her coaches about her talent level.

“This weekend is a matter of putting everything together and to show what I’ve been working on,” she said.

Multi-events coach Dan O’Brien, the former world record holder in the men’s indoor heptathlon, said perfection is hard to come by in a multi-event meet, meaning athletes must focus on putting together a solid body of overall work. Still, the coach believes his athletes are ready for the grueling challenge of the competition.

“It’s hard to gauge where everyone is at until they do a full multi-event,” O’Brien said. “I think everyone is primed for some personal bests and some significant improvements.”

Henderson said that a multi-event athlete has to put in extra time during practice in order to perfect a wide array of skills. The multi-event athletes are usually the first to arrive and the last to finish at practice.

“We’re out [at practice] at noon everyday while everyone else isn’t here until two or three,” Henderson said. “To do seven or 10 events takes a lot more dedication … you have to really like what you’re doing.”

Reach the reporter at elsmith8@asu.edu


Continue supporting student journalism and donate to The State Press today.

Subscribe to Pressing Matters



×

Notice

This website uses cookies to make your experience better and easier. By using this website you consent to our use of cookies. For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.