Goggins Leads Decathlon After Day One at Atlantic Sun Championships
5/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
May 16, 2008
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CLEMSON, S.C. - USC Upstate freshman men's track and field athlete Perrish Goggins was impressive at day one of the Atlantic Sun Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Clemson University's Rock Norman Track and Field Complex Friday holding the lead after five events in the men's decathlon, compiling 3383 points to hold a 42-point edge over Belmont's Matt Fiedler.
Goggins, who was the leader midway through the men's heptathlon at the A-Sun Indoor Championships in early March, won the 100 meter dash portion of the decathlon with a time of 11.02 and also was first in the high jump portion with a jump of 6-06.00 (1.98 m). He was second in the long jump with a jump of 6.82 meters and fourth in the shot put with a throw of 33-03.75 (10.15 m).
"Just like the (heptathlon), those are most of my strong events," Goggins said. "But day two events are often the ones that I really don't really do well in because they really aren't my events. I plan on doing the best I can."
USC Upstate track and field head coach Jimmy Stephens said that he has confidence his talented freshman can pull off a great finish.
"(Perrish) had a great first day," Stephens said. "The first day is his strongest day and he's going to be doing some events he hasn't done before tomorrow. Hopefully, he can stay in the top three and he could pull it out if he has a solid day."
Tomorrow, Goggins and junior Marc Wartenberger will compete in the final five decathlon events; the javelin, discus, pole vault, 110 meter hurdles and the 1500 meters. Wartenberger, who is currently seventh after day one, was second in the shot put portion with a throw of 37-09.50 (11.57 m) and tied for third in the high jump at 6-00.00 (1.83 m).
"Marc also had a good first day. He can pick up some points in the discus and javelin as well as the pole vault tomorrow and could be in the top three as well," Stephens said.
The final day of competition for the A-Sun Outdoor Championships gets underway on Saturday at 9 a.m.
