AUSTIN, TEXAS, March 27-30 — If Leo Neugebauer is the future of the decathlon, the present could well arrive by August.
At last year’s Texas Relays, the talented German and Texas Longhorn was ecstatic over the 8478 that presaged an NCAA title of 8836 (a NR and CR).
So what to make of this year’s 8708, the third-best collegiate performance ever? More of the same — more ecstasy, more belief in his abilities.
“I always compare my numbers from this season to last season at this time,” said Neugebauer. “And yeah, I’m ahead and feeling really good.
“Every event, I wouldn’t say there was an event that stood out too much, it was more about being consistently better in everything. It definitely gives me confidence. I just proved to myself what I can do and I’m definitely excited for my next couple of decathlons — NCAA and Olympics.”
He started this year’s edition red-hot with a string of personal bests or near-bests.
● 10.74, his 3rd best 100
● 25-7½ (7.81), his best outdoor LJ as a collegian
● 56-7½ (17.26), CR and PR shot put
● 6-8¾ (2.05), second-best HJ outdoors as a collegian, 1½ off 6-10¼ (2.09) PR from the NCAA Indoor
● 47.99 (equal to his second-fastest career 400)
That left Neugebauer 29 points ahead of his NCAA run last year.
Day 2 saw three strong marks but two weak ones: the discus and 1500.
● 14.51, his 2nd-fastest wind-legal 110H
● 168-11 (51.50) DT, well below his 55.06 PR
● 16-8¾ (5.10), his third-best vault ever
● 193-6 (58.99), javelin PR
● 4:51.05, well short of his 4:42.68 PR 1500
Neugebauer wasn’t too concerned with the discus, since he hadn’t trained for it much during his successful pursuit of the NCAA Indoor heptathlon crown. He did feel that moving the 400 up 30 minutes to avoid a rainstorm hurt him, however.
“The other athletes had more rest since I was the last surviving high jumper,” he said. “My body is very taxed after every competition generally.”
Looking forward to the remainder of the 2024 campaign — in which he hopes to become the fifth ever to top 9000 points — Neugebauer said, “It’s mainly about just being consistent. It’s bad to plan for one event, but you can improve on getting your body in really good shape. I had 2½ weeks to prepare for this. Now I have a lot more time to prepare.
“It’s all about growth as an athlete. I’m just going to be locked in on a daily basis, just being able to compete.”
The other stunning mark of the day came from a D2 athlete in the javelin. Jordan Davis of Southern Connecticut State shocked the world — or at least premeet favorite Curtis Thompson — with five throws that exceeded his previous PR of 244-0 (74.37), topped by a 274-10 (83.77) that makes him the No. 10 all-time American. If Davis were a D1 athlete, he’d be No. 5 all-time on the T&FN collegiate list.
Davis opened at 263-8 (80.36) to take an auspicious lead. After a second-round foul, he then tossed 254-9 (77.65), 257-0 (78.33) and 247-8 (75.50). Olympian Thompson briefly took the lead with a fifth-round 266-0 (81.09), but Davis delivered his gut-punch winner in the sixth round.
TEXAS RELAYS MEN’S RESULTS
100(2.1): 1. Shaun Maswanganyi’ (Hous-SA) 10.09w; 2. *David Foster (Cal) 10.11w; 3. Kaleb Simpson (AzSt) 10.15w; 4. Rodney Heath (LaT) 10.23w).
5000: 1. ***Ernest Cheruiyot’ (TxT-Ken) 13:38.28.
110H(2.4): 1. **Antoine Andrews’ (TxT-Bah) 13.37w; 2. *Samuel Bennett’ (How-GB) 13.39w; 3. *Jordani Woodley’ (UTEP-Jam) 13.44w; 4. *Ethan Exilhomme (NEn) 13.50w; 5. *Darius Brown (DeP) 13.64w; 6. Jaheem Hayles’ (Syr-Jam) 13.69w.
400H: 1. *Oskar Edlund’ (TxT-Swe) 49.94; 2. *Darek Hackett (AF) 50.26; 3. **Chris Brinkley (Tx) 50.63; 4. Reyte Rash (CSF) 50.81; 5. **Devin Nugent (Pitt) 50.88.
4 x 100: 1. Texas 39.22; 3. Texas Tech 39.27; 4. Cal 39.31; 5. Cal Fullerton 39.35; 6. New Orleans 39.45; 7. Arizona State 39.64; 8. Purdue 39.78; 9. BYU 39.86.
4 x 200: 1. Houston 1:21.55; 3. UTSA 1:21.81; 3. Texas 1:22.33;
4 x 400: 1. Arizona State 3:02.35 (Robinson 44.36); 2. Texas 3:04.11 (Popelka 44.68); 3. Oklahoma 3:05.44; 4. UCLA 3:06.32; 5. Texas Tech 3:06.36; 6. New Mexico JC 3:06.62.
SpMed: 1. Texas 3:15.03; 2. TCU 3:17.88; 3. Texas Tech 3:18.92; 4. Clemson 3:22.42.
HJ: 1. Caleb Snowden (ArPB) 7-5 (2.26); 2. *Jaivon Harrison (GVal) 7-5; 3. **Brion Stephens (Louis) 7-3¾ (2.23).
PV: 1. ***Maddox Hamm (VaT) 18-2½ (5.55); 2. Jack Hodge (GCan) 18-½ (5.50); 3. ***Hilton Green (Ok) 17-8½ (5.40).
LJ: 1. *Solomon Washington (Tx) 26-8½w (8.14); 2. Trumaine Jefferson (unat) 26-1w (7.95); 3. **Kenson Tate (Lam) 26-0w (7.92); 4. ***Zaid Latif’ (TxT-Mor) 25-6¼w (7.78);
5. Jathan Belaire (Tx) 25-6¼w (7.78).
TJ: 1. O’Brien Wasome’ (Jam) 56-1 (17.09); 2. Jordan Scott’ (Jam) 55-10¼ (17.02); 3. *Stacy Brown (TxT) 53-11¾w (16.45) (52-6¾/16.02); 4. **Brandon Green (Ok) 53-2¼w (16.21) (52-6¾/16.02).
SP: 1. Myles Kerner (GVal) 64-6½ (19.67); 2. Djimon Gumbs’ (NWnLa-BVI) 62-5¼ (19.03); 3. Patrick Piperi (Tx) 62-3¼ (18.98); 4. Diego Trevino (Ok) 62-2½ (18.96).
DT: 1. Francois Prinsloo’ (SAl-SA) 211-4 (64.41); 2. *Brandon Lloyd’ (AzSt-Jam) 201-11 (61.54); 3. Devin Roberson (TxT) 200-1 (60.98); 4. Sam Welsh (Rice) 195-9 (59.68);
5. **Jeremiah Nubbe’ (Tx-Can) 194-2 (59.19); 6. Sebastian Löschner’ (SAl-Swe) 190-4 (58.03).
HT: 1. Nubbe’ 239-10 (73.11); 2. Jordan Geist (Iron) 239-0 (72.85); 3. Israel Oloyede (GCan) 229-0 (69.81); 4. Grayson Fleming (unat) 228-8 (69.70).
JT: 1. *Jordan Davis (SnCt) 274-10 (83.77) (10, x A) (263-8, f, 254-9, 257-0, 247-8, 274-10) (80.36, f, 77.65, 78.33, 75.50, 83.77);
2. Curtis Thompson (unat) 266-0 (81.09); 3. Ethan Cocco (Clem) 234-4 (71.42); 4. Markim Felix’ (AMK-Grn) 229-7 (69.98).
Dec: 1. Leo Neugebauer’ (Tx-Ger) 8708 (x, 3 C) (WL) (10.74, 25-7½/7.81, 56-7½/17.26, 6-8¾/2.05, 47.99 [4620], 14.51, 168-11/51.50, 16-8¾/5.10, 193-6/58.99, 4:51.05);
2. Lee Walburn (WaSt) 7694; 3. Denim Rogers (unat) 7687; 4. Isaiah Hudgens (IncW) 7541.
Invitational Events
100: I(3.0)–1. Pablo Mateo’ (Fra) 9.92w; 2. Karlington Anunagba’ (Ngr) 10.05w; 3. Ryan Zeze’ (Fra) 10.09w.
II(2.2)–1. Elijah Hall-Thompson (unat) 10.00w; 2. Emmanuel Matadi’ (Lbr) 10.04w.
200: I(2.0)–1. Pablo Mateo’ (Fra) 20.03; 2. Zeze’ 20.18; 3. Aldrich Bailey (USAr) 20.69; 4. *Brice Chabot (UTSA) 20.72.
II(2.8)–1. *Tapiwanashe Makarawu’ (NMJC-Zim) 20.03w; 2. Josephus Lyles (adidas) 20.35w; 3. Elijah Morrow (AthTX) 20.49w.
800: 1. Jesus Lopez’ (Mex) 1:45.39.
110H(2.4): 1. Michael Dickson (unat) 13.36w.
400H: 1. Aldrich Bailey (USAr) 50.47; 2. James Smith (AzF) 50.59.
4 x 100: 1. M&M Stars’ 38.76; 2. Texas 39.74; 4. Metaphoric Speed International 39.79.
4 x 400: 1. USA Red 3:03.06 (C. Bailey 44.92); 2. Athletics TX 3:03.16; 3. Mexico’ 3:03.61; 4. USA Blue 3:07.26.
PV: 1. Hunter Garretson (Akr) 19-1½ (5.83) (=10, x AmC);
2. Sondre Guttormsen’ (Nor) 18-10¼ (5.75); 3. **Conner McClure (VaT) 18-10¼; 4. Skyler Magula (Cal) 17-8½ (5.40); 5. *Thomas Nieto’ (AMK-Col) 17-8½;… nh—Kyle Rademeyer’ (SAl-SA).
