Vollmer Scores 8,000 Points at Bryan Clay

AZUSA, Calif. – Behind a gutsy performance in the 1500 meters—the final obstacle of the two-day, 10-event decathlon—Max Vollmer won the Bryan Clay Invitational and became the sixth UO man to reach 8,000 points. For the Women of Oregon, Taylor Chocek secured a victory of her own with 5,514 points and the top spot in Group B of the heptathlon.
 
Through nine events, Vollmer had 7,308 points so he'd need a near-personal best in the 1500 meters to reach 8,000. He responded with a time of 4:34.68—just off his 4:34.57 best—to collect 714 points and finish the meet with 8,022 points. Vollmer remains in sixth place on the UO all-time list but is now just five points shy of the No. 5 spot held by Craig Brigham and his 8,027 points from 1975.
 
Chocek posted PRs in all three events Thursday, beginning with a measure of 5.67m/18-7.25 in the long jump. She went on to add more than three feet to her previous best in the javelin (37.79m/123-11) and shaved more than six seconds off her time in the 800 meters (2:21.69). Coupled with her showing from Wednesday, Chocek established lifetime bests in five of the seven events.
 
Now as the No. 5 performer in UO history, the Eugene, Ore., native improved upon her previous best of 4,681 points from last year's Pac-12 Championships.
 
Teammates Gianna Bullock (5,045 points) and Colleen Uzoekwe (4,752), both in the first heptathlons of their collegiate careers, finished in eighth and 15th place, respectively. Bullock opened the day with a PR of 5.63m/18-5.75 in the long jump. The Bryan Clay multi represented the first heptathlon at any level for Uzoekwe.
 
In the same group as Vollmer, UO sophomore Jett Kinder finished in fifth place with a lifetime-best total of 7,327 points. He replaces his previous best of 6,745 points from the 2021 Pac-12 Championships with Thursday help from an all-conditions best in the 110-meter hurdles and a new PR in the 1500 meters. On the day, Kinder also finished first in the pole vault and javelin.
 
Nathan Poff used two personal bests Thursday including a 4:22.22 effort in the 1500 meters to record a lifetime-best score of 7,318 points. He was the top collegian in Group B of the decathlon, and finished in second overall. Poff entered the meet with a PR of 6,807 points from last season's Jim Click. Teammate Arthur Katahdin, in his first collegiate decathlon, finished with 6,665 points which was good for sixth in the group.
 
In the team's first action at Mt. SAC, Mine De Klerk and Jaida Ross had the fourth- and sixth-best throws during the qualifying round of the shot put. Both saved their best effort for the third—and final—round with marks of 16.75m/54-11.5 for De Klerk and 16.50m/54-1.75 for Ross. The shot put final is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m.
 
Competition at the Mt. SAC Relays gets started Friday at 10 a.m. with the men's javelin. Prelims of the 4x100-meter relays will kick off the running schedule at 11 a.m. The meet will be streamed live by the RunnerSpace and USATF.tv platforms. Live results will be available through Finished Results.
 
The Ducks are back home next week for the Oregon Relays (April 22-23) at Hayward Field. Single-meet and season tickets for the UO home schedule, plus all-session and single-day tickets for the Pac-12 and NCAA Championships, are currently on sale; click HERE or call 800-WEBFOOT (932-3668) to purchase.
 
Thursday Results
Bryan Clay Invitational (Azusa, Calif.)
 
Decathlon – Group A
1. Max Vollmer – 8,022 points (PR)
              2. 110m hurdles – 14.59w, +3.4 [900 points]
              1. Discus – 40.86m/134-0 [682]
              4. Pole vault – 4.70m/15-5 [819]
              4. Javelin – 55.57m/182-3 [671]
              3. 1500 meters – 4:34.68 [714]
5. Jett Kinder – 7,327 points (PR)
              11. 110m hurdles – 15.79w, +2.1 [757 points]
              5. Discus – 39.20m/128-7 [648]
              1. Pole vault – 4.80m/15-9 [849]
              1. Javelin – 61.01m/200-2 [753]
              9. 1500 meters – 5:06.69 (PR) [522]
 
Decathlon – Group B
2. Nathan Poff – 7,318 points (PR)
              9. 110m hurdles – 15.90 (-2.2) [744 points]
              4. Discus – 39.22m/128-8 (PR) [649]
              4. Pole vault – 4.35m/14-3.25 [716]
              5. Javelin – 47.90m/157-2 [558]
              1. 1500 meters – 4:22.22 (PR) [796]
6. Arthur Katahdin – 6,665 points
              7. 110m hurdles – 15.74 (-1.3) [762 points]
              5. Discus – 34.64m/113-7 [556]
              2. Pole vault – 4.55m/14-11 [775]
              10. Javelin – 40.16m/131-9 [444]
              8. 1500 meters – 4:57.22 [576]
 
Heptathlon – Group B
1. Taylor Chocek – 5,514 points (PR) [No. 5 UO]
              7. Long jump – 5.67m/18-7.25 (PR) [750 points]
              5. Javelin – 37.79m/123-11 (PR) [625]
              8. 800 meters – 2:21.69 (PR) [801]
7. Gianna Bullock – 5,045 points
              8. Long jump – 5.63m/18-5.75 (PR) [738 points]
9. Javelin – 33.50m/109-11 [543]
              22. 800 meters – 2:34.74 [635]
15. Colleen Uzoekwe – 4,752 points
              15. Long jump – 5.35m/17-6.75 [657 points]
              25. Javelin – 19.57m/64-2 [281]
              25. 800 meters – 2:51.72 [446]
 
Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)
 
Shot Put
4. Mine De Klerk – 16.75m/54-11.5q
6. Jaida Ross – 16.50m/54-1.75q
 
Discus
12. Jaida Ross – 50.03m/164-1
21. Mine De Klerk – 47.19m/154-10
 
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