KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Florida sophomore Gray Horn set a school record for the opening five events of the decathlon Thursday as the 2010 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships began a four-day run at the Tom Black Track at the University of Tennessee.
Horn scored 4,068 points – the first time he’s been over the 4,000-point first-day mark in the decathlon, a 10-event competition over two days. Georgia’s Cory Holman led the decathlon with 4,164 points. Arkansas’ Terry Prentice was in third place with 3,976 points.
“I’m obviously very proud of Gray,” Florida head coach Mike Holloway said. “It’s the best opening day he’s ever had in the decathlon and it gives us great momentum for the rest of the program. He had three PRs – a couple of them really big and, even though the high jump didn’t go the way he wanted, he came back and ran a great 400. It gives our team a great jumpstart to the weekend.”
Horn recorded personal-best marks in each of his first three events Thursday. His 4,068 points surpassed his previous first-day personal record of 3,973, which Horn recorded at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Horn also surpassed Mike Morrison’s school opening-day record of 4,021 points.
“You know it’s a great day any time you can have a school record at a conference meet,” Florida multi-events coach Mellanee Welty said. “He did a really good job of fighting through some adversity and pulling it together at the end. We know things are going well, Gray just needs to come out tomorrow and compete the way he did today, and we will be in good shape.”
Horn opened the day with a personal-record time of 10.77 in the 100 meters to place second overall in that event. Horn then won the long jump with a personal-record leap of 25 feet, 1¼ inches on his third attempt.
In one of his weaker events, Horn surpassed his previous best in the shot put with a toss of 41 feet, 3¼ inches. Horn then was third in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 4¼ inches and finished sixth in the 400 meters in 50.48 seconds.
The second day of the SEC Outdoor Championships begins at 10 a.m. Friday with the decathlon’s last five events starting at 4 p.m.
SEC OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tom Black Track / University of Tennessee / Knoxville, Tenn. / Thursday, May 13 results
MEN
Decathlon (after 5 of 10 events): 1. Cory Holman (Georgia) 4,164 points; 2. Gray Horn (Florida) 4,068; 3. Terry Prentice (Arkansas) 3,976; 4. Trevarus Christian (Mississippi State) 3,931; 5. Scott Pierce (South Carolina) 3,815; 6. Eddie Stoudemire (South Carolina) 3,793; 7. Antione Lipscomb (Mississippi State) 3,672; 8. Jager Livingston (Auburn) 3,563; 9. Michael Hughes (Alabama) 3,538; 10. Matt Kirbos (Arkansas) 3,496; 11. Martin Lee (Mississippi State) 3,377; 12. Justin Brady (Alabama) 3,213.
Events
100 meters: 2. Gray Horn (Florida) 10.77 seconds (912 points).
Long jump: 1. Gray Horn (Florida) 25 feet, 1¼ inches (972 points).
Shot put: 3. Gray Horn (Florida) 41 feet, 3¼ inches (642 points).
High jump: 3. Gray Horn (Florida) 6 feet, 4¼ inches (749 points).
400 meters: 6. Gray Horn (Florida) 50.48 seconds (794 points).