SAN ANTONIO — Jack Turner and Joel McFarlane occupy the top two spots in the decathlon standings at the halfway point, headlining action for UTSA on the opening day of the Conference USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which got underway on Thursday at Park West Athletics Complex.
Turner, the defending C-USA champion, has scored 4,075 points through the first five events, while McFarlane, the conference silver medalist a year ago, is right on his heels with 4,003 with the remaining five disciplines left on Friday.
McFarlane actually took the overall lead following the second event. The Scotland native opened with a time of 10.73 seconds in the 100 meters, good for third in the field and 922 points before he leaped to the top of the standings with a long jump of 7.25 meters (23-9.5) that was worth 874 points.
McFarlane retained his lead after the shot put, posting a mark of 13.21m (43-4.25) for 680 points, but Turner moved ahead following a 2.02m (6-7.5) clearance in the high jump.
Turner opened with a 10.90 clocking in the 100m and then broke the sand at a distance of 7.34m (24-1) to pile up 1,779 points through two disciplines. The England native and 2021 C-USA Indoor heptathlon golf medalist measured 13.42m (44-0.5) in the shot put before his high jump performance put him in front. Turner closed the opening day with a 50.73 clocking in the 400m, which was a close second behind McFarlane's winning time of 50.04.
Meanwhile, Maren Wilms is in fifth place after the first day of the women's heptathlon. The Melsbach, Germany, native has tallied 2,768 points through four events, starting with 778 in the 100m hurdles after she clocked a 15.49 to start the day. She then cleared 1.62m (5-3.75) for 759 points in the high jump and measured 9.83m (32-3) for 518 points in the shot put before closing out Thursday's action with a 26.99 clocking for 713 points in the 200m.
Fabiola Declet of FIU has the heptathlon lead at 3,077 with three events left on Friday.
Friday's action will kick off at 2 p.m. with the men's hammer throw and continue with the second day of the heptathlon and decathlon, as well as the women's hammer at 4:30 p.m. and the 10,000-meter races that night.
UTSA Results
Men
Decathlon
1. Jack Turner 4,075 — 100 Meters (10.90/883); Long Jump (7.34m [24-1]/896); Shot Put (13.42m [44-0.5]/693); High Jump 2.02m [6.7.5]/822); 400 Meters (50.73/781)
2. Joel McFarlane 4,003 — 100 Meters (10.73/922); Long Jump (7.25m [23-9.5]/874); Shot Put (13.21m [43-4.25]/680); High Jump (1.90m [6-2.75]/714); 400 Meters (50.04/813)
Women
Heptathlon
5. Maren Wilms 2,768 — 100-Meter Hurdles (15.49/778); High Jump (1.62m [5-3.75]/759); Shot Put (9.83m [32-3]/518); 200 Meters (26.99/713)
-UTSA-
