 |
 |
 |
|
Wednesday 28
June 2006 Smith improves national decathlon record … Commonwealth Games silver medallist Maurice Smith, continued his great form this season with another record breaking performance at the "International Mehrkampf-Meeting", held in Ratingen, Germany, on the weekend. Smith, a former Calabar High athlete broke his own national decathlon record at the meeting, which serves as part of IAAF World Combined Events Challenge. Despite his second placed finish, Smith secured a new national record 8349-points to erase his 8,269 score he set at the two-day Hypobank meeting in Goetzis, Austria, in May. It was the second time in one year that Smith, who secured 8232 points in Puerto Rico in 2005, was breaking the national record. The Central America & Caribbean Championships record holder got off to a brilliant start, clocking 10.69sec (100m) 7.51m (LJ) and 16.07m (SP) in taking the lead after the first three events. However, Smith was unable to maintain the lead and fell short at the end by 65-points, beaten by Olympic bronze medallist Dmitriy Karpov from Kazakhstan, who collected 8414-points. Despite his defeat, the Jamaican was delighted with performance, especially after improving his personal and nation's best and promised to improve on his week areas of the event, which is evidently the Javelin Throw and the Pole Vault. "I am very happy, it was a great atmosphere here. I made my best mark in Götzis, and now again," said Smith, who converted from a being a long jumper to a multi-athlete shortly after his final year in high school. "I will improve more and more," added Smith, who had been staying in Ratingen with a local family. Smith will next compete at the NACAC Combined Events Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico in August and he's already looking forward to improving his own mark. "My next Decathlon will be in Puerto Rico in August and my next goal is to make a new national record again," concluded Smith. Yadvendrasinhji for JAAA |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
