CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gary Haasbroek is in first place through the first five events of the decathlon to headline action for UTSA on the opening day of the Air Force Reserve Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday at Irwin Belk Track & Field Center.
Competing in his first decathlon of his debut season, Haasbroek scored 3,838 points to build a 241-point lead ahead of Charlie Card-Childers of Rice at the halfway point. Looking to complete the indoor-outdoor sweep in the multi-events, the freshman from Melbourne, Australia, leads a trio of Roadrunners in the top eight with five disciplines remaining on Saturday.
Haasbroek, the C-USA Indoor champion in the heptathlon, opened the 10-event competition with 888 points by cruising to a 10.88 clocking in the 100 meters. He then leaped to the top measurement in the long jump with a mark of 7.16m (23-8) for 852 points.
After posting an 11.31m (37-1 ¼) effort in the shot put, Haasbroek cleared 1.87m (6-1 ½) in the high jump and then finished the day by winning the 400m in 49.33 seconds. The school record-holder in the indoor heptathlon has his sights set on the program's first league crown in the decathlon since 2008 with Justin Youngblood's 2002 school record of 7.642 points within reach.
Meanwhile, Jake McDaniel sits third through the first five events after posting 3,569 points. The junior from Houston sped to an 11.51 clocking for 750 points in the 100m to start his day. He then broke the sand at a distance of 6.91m (22-8) for 792 points in the long jump before earning 522 more with a 10.60m (34-9 ½) mark in the shot put.
McDaniel, who won the Roadrunner Invitational in March and collected the bronze medal in the C-USA Indoor heptathlon in February, topped 1.99m (6-6 ¼) for 794 points in the high jump and closed with a 53.32 clocking in the 400m.
Justin Wright is in eight place with 2,987 points. The freshman from Dripping Springs had an 11.99 clocking in the 100m and a 1.81m (5-11 ¼) clearance in the high jump to highlight his opening day.
Meanwhile, Gabriyella Torres is in seventh place in a tight competition through the first four events of the women's heptathlon. The senior from Port Isabel, Texas, has tallied 2,690 points and is just 331 points out of the top three with three disciplines remaining on Friday.
Torres clocked a 14.84 for 863 points in the opening event, the 100m hurdles. She then cleared 1.61m (5-3 ¼) for 747 points in the high jump before measuring 11.00m (36-1 ¼) in the shot put. Torres, who won the C-USA Indoor pentathlon title in February, concluded the first day by stopping the clock in 26.49 in the 200m for 755 points.
Chase Whiting is in 14th place with 2,554 points behind a 790-point effort in the 100m hurdles (15.40).
The second day of the C-USA Outdoor will begin with the women's hammer throw at 1 p.m. CT, followed by the men's hammer at 3:30 p.m. The final day of the decathlon and heptathlon will start at 1:45 and 3:30 p.m., respectively, while the 10,000 meters is scheduled for 7 p.m.
A free live video stream for Friday's action will be provided online at http://conferenceusa.com/watch/default.aspx?Live=8042 beginning at 4 p.m. CT. For complete meet coverage, including live results and video streams, please visit http://conferenceusa.com/tournaments/?id=410.
UTSA Results
Men
Decathlon
1. Gary Haasbroek 3,838 points
100 Meters (10.88/888); Long Jump (7.16m [23-6]/852); Shot Put (11.31m [37-1 ¼]/565); High Jump (1.87m [6-1 ½]/687]); 400 Meters (49.33/846)
3. Jake McDaniel 3,569 points
100 Meters (11.51/750); Long Jump (6.91m [22-8]/792); Shot Put (10.60m [34-9 ½]/522); High Jump (1.99m [6-6 ¼]/794); 400 Meters (53.32/711)
8. Justin Wright 2,987 points
100 Meters (11.99/653); Long Jump (6.17m [20-3]/624); Shot Put (10.36m [34-0]/507); High Jump (1.81m [5-11 ¼]/636); 400 Meters (55.81/567)
Women
Heptathlon
7. Gabriyella Torres 2,960 points
100-Meter Hurdles (14.84/863); High Jump (1.61m [5-3 ¼]/747); Shot Put (11.00m [36-1 ¼]/595); 200 Meters (26.49/755)
14. Chase Whiting 2,554 points
100-Meter Hurdles (15.40/790); High Jump (1.43m [4-8 ¼]/544); Shot Put (10.04m [32-11 ¼]/532); 200 Meters (27.29/688)
