POCATELLO, Idaho — Eliana Coburn is in third place following the first four events of the heptathlon to lead four Sacramento State multi athletes at the Big Sky Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday at Idaho State.
Coburn totaled 3,016 points in her four events to leave her within striking distance of Idaho State's Brianna Hagler (3,243) and Northern Arizona's Madeline Wilson (3,128). However, three athletes are less than 100 points behind Coburn, creating a crowded leaderboard. The freshman started the meet by running the 100-hurdles in a career best 14.48 seconds. She followed by clearing 5-03.25 in the high jumpand then had a shot put of 35-07.75 to set PRs in both events. Coburn wrapped up the day with a wind-aided 200 of 26.30.
Abby Sheets is in eighth place after the first day with 2,515 points. Sheets set a personal best in the 100H after running 17.64. She tied her PR with a high jump of 5-03.25 before a shot put of 36-09.75. The freshman then ran the 200 in 27.98.
The heptathlon will conclude on Thursday with the long jump, javelin and 800.
The Hornets were also represented by a pair of freshman in the decathlon. Jack Charlton is in ninth place with 3,151 points and Joshua Braun is 12th with 2,991. Idaho State's Chase Gardom holds the lead at the midway point of the decathlon with 3,726 points. Second and third place is separated by just a single point with Weber State's Caleb Whitney amassing 3,650 and Eastern Washington's Quintin Porterfield scoring 3,649.
Both Charlton and Braun are competing in the decathlon for the first time during their collegiate careers and were making the debuts in several of the events. Charlton ran the 100 in 11.43 before a long jump of 21-00.75. He had a shot put of 38-05.00 but was able to move up one position after each of his final two events with a high jump of 5-06.00 and a 400 time of 55.46.
Braun started the day by running 11.54 in the 100 and then setting his career best with a long jump of 21-04.00. A shot put of 28-06.25 was followed by him clearing 5-03.00 in the high jump and then running 53.05 in the 400.
The final five events of the decathlon on Thursday will be comrprised of the 110-hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500.
The main program of the Big Sky Championships will take place on Friday and Saturday.
