University Southern California Trojans
Thursday, April 18
Torrance, CA
All Day
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Mt. SAC Relays
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Photo by: Kirby Lee-Image of Sport
Owens Sets School Record In Winning The Decathlon At The Bryan Clay Invitational
April 18, 2019 | Track & Field, Features
His 8,130 points is the current world leader
Ayden Owens scored a school record and world-leading total of 8,130 points to win the men's decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational held at Azusa Pacific in Azusa, Calif. today (April 18).  The USC freshman began the day with 4,266 points and a 74-point lead over defending Pac-12 champion Harrison Williams and ended it with an 18-point victory. The day began in the 89 degree-heat and sunny skies and ended under the lights with a cool breeze. At the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., Nathan Bultman led the Trojans by placing third in the men's hammer throw with a season-best mark.
Owens led the 10-event decathlon for the first seven events before falling 17 points behind after the pole vault, but then took the lead back by 10 points heading into the final event, the 1500m race. Owens used a strong closing-surge to pass Williams and finish with a PR of 4:28.90 in the 1500m race to clinch the title and set the USC school and freshman records. Owens posted four PRs on the final day and seven overall in the 10 events. He broke the previous school record of 8,022 points set by Mike Gonzales in 1984.
"It was just a matter of staying in it mentally," said Owens. "A big part of the decathlon is staying focused and not letting your body boss you around. Let your mind rule your body and I listened to my coaches and stayed mentally strong. Before the 1500m race, my whole life flashed before me and I said I was just going to get this guy. I knew it was going to hurt, but it's only four minutes and 30 seconds of pain and I said I was just going to take it."
Owens led the 10-event decathlon for the first seven events before falling 17 points behind after the pole vault, but then took the lead back by 10 points heading into the final event, the 1500m race. Owens used a strong closing-surge to pass Williams and finish with a PR of 4:28.90 in the 1500m race to clinch the title and set the USC school and freshman records. Owens posted four PRs on the final day and seven overall in the 10 events. He broke the previous school record of 8,022 points set by Mike Gonzales in 1984.
"It was just a matter of staying in it mentally," said Owens. "A big part of the decathlon is staying focused and not letting your body boss you around. Let your mind rule your body and I listened to my coaches and stayed mentally strong. Before the 1500m race, my whole life flashed before me and I said I was just going to get this guy. I knew it was going to hurt, but it's only four minutes and 30 seconds of pain and I said I was just going to take it."
- Owens opened the day by winning the 110m hurdles with a wind-aided time of 13.91 (+2.2w) to earn 986 points. After six events, he held a 123-point lead with a total of 5,252 points.
- Owens had a foul in his first and final discus throw attempts, but his middle throw was a PR of 141-6 (43.14m) good for fourth in the event, earning 729 points. After seven events in the decathlon, he had a 134-point lead over Harrison Williams of Stanford.
- Owens had a personal-best clearance of 15-1.00 (4.60m) to earn 790 points in the pole vault. He entered at 13-5.25 and cleared that in his first attempt, then passed at 13-9.25 and 14-1.25. After clearing 14-5.25, he passed at 14-9 then cleared 15-1. He went out at 15-5 (4.70m), missing twice and then passing as a precaution due to soreness in his knees. Williams cleared 16-8.75 (5.10m) to earn 941 points in the event to take the lead over Owens by 17 points.
- Owens set PRs in all three of his men's javelin throws, opening with a mark of 152-0 (46.32m), followed by 161-7 (49.27m) and then finishing with 168-0 (51.21m). He scored 607 points in the event to give him 7,378 points after nine events, which was already seventh on USC's all-time list. He also had re-taken the lead by 10 points entering the final event.
- Owens entered the 1500m race needing to run about 2:45.00 to set the school record and he smashed that with his PR of 4:28.90 which earned him 752 points. He stayed just behind Williams and then passed him down the stretch to ensure the decathlon victory.
- Sophomore Joy McArthur placed fourth in the women's College/Open hammer throw with a best mark of 186-10 (56.95m) and redshirt freshman Natasha Stamp finished 12th with a season-best throw of 149-3 (45.49m).
- Redshirt junior Nathan Bultman placed third in the men's College/Open hammer throw with a season-best mark of 210-9 (64.24m). Senior Jason Kim had fouls in all three attempts.
- Freshman Mitch Libby took sixth in the men's College/Open 3000m steeplechase with a PR of 9:25.62. He is now just over five seconds outside USC's top 10 in the event. The last Trojan to crack USC's top 10 in the event was Adrian Rafiee in 2011. That race was run at El Camino College in Torrance, Calif. where the remainder of the Mt. SAC relays will be contested.
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