Track and field events - Neugebauer Wins Decathlon Championship in the US
Leo Neugebauer scored a landslide win in the decathlon ahead of the Paris Olympics, just shy of the 9000-point milestone. At the US College Championships in Eugene, Oregon, the 23-year-old claimed victory with a score of 8961 points.
"Unbelievable! I can't even explain how I'm feeling. I cannot express my emotions in words," said an elated Neugebauer after his last competition for the University of Texas. Although he came close to cracking the 9000-point barrier, he fell short in the final event, the 1500-meter race. "I did my best. I overtook some runners. But there are other activities where I could've scored higher," remarked the athlete from VfB Stuttgart.
Neugebauer left an indelible mark in the US a year ago when he broke the long-standing decathlon record of legendary Jürgen Hingsen with a score of 8836 points. This year, he smashed the 22-year-old national indoor record in the heptathlon of Frank Busemann.
"I feel fantastic"
"In the last two years, I've really given it my all," said Neugebauer regarding his time in Austin and his upcoming plans for the Olympics: "I feel fantastic."
Neugebauer had a solid start on Day 1, followed by outstanding performances on Day 2. He clocked 14.36 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, threw the discus 57.70 meters in his first attempt, and cleared 5.21 meters in the pole vault. After throwing 56.64 meters in the javelin, he ended the decathlon with 4:44.61 minutes in the 1500 meters.
Neugebauer trains and studies in Austin at the University of Texas. He chose to participate in the US College Championships over the European Championships in Rome. His remarkable showing in Eugene is expected to boost his chances at the Olympics. At last year's World Championships, Neugebauer dropped to fifth place on the second day despite being initially in the lead.
