Daniels leads decathlon after day one in Arkansas

Central College

CONWAY, ARK. — Competing outdoors for the first time this season, freshman Will Daniels (freshman, Geneseo, Ill.) of the Central College men’s track and field team leads the decathlon field after the first day at the Hendrix Spring Break Multis Friday.

Daniels put together a day one score of 3,305 points to stake a 128-point lead. The only other Dutch competitor at the event hosted by Hendrix University (Ark.) Ryan Kruse (junior, St. Clair, Minn.) is in third place and 143 points behind Daniels with 3,162 points through five events.

The 100-meter dash, the first event of the day, was won by Daniels in 11.51 seconds. He also bested the field in the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 7 inches. He was second in the long jump with an effort of 20-9.25 but was on the brink of a better mark.

“He fouled a couple of better long jumps,” associate head coach Jim Fuller said. “He had a little trouble adjusting to the wind.”

Recording the best mark in the seven-man field by over six feet, Kruse recorded a toss of 42-8.25. With times of 11.72 seconds in the 100-meter dash and a 56.95 in the 400-meter dash, Kruse set personal bests in both events. His score from the first day is also a personal best.

“He also fouled one better distance in the shot put,” Fuller said. “Other than those little struggles, I thought they were both pretty good.”

The second day of competition is set to begin at 10 a.m. from Young-Wise Memorial Stadium.