STANFORD TRACK RECRUIT IS SIXTH IN WORLD

July 23, 2014



STANFORD TRACK RECRUIT IS SIXTH IN WORLD



Williams earns personal best in decathlon



EUGENE, Ore. -- Harrison Williams, an incoming freshman at Stanford, finished sixth in the decathlon at the IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships on Wednesday at Hayward Field.



Williams scored 7,760 points, a personal record and a total equal to the fourth-highest ever among U.S. junior men (19 and younger).



Williams, of Memphis, Tenn., set six personal bests during the 10-event competition, including in the final two events – the javelin and 1,500. His 4:41.01 time was good for 674 points and enabled him to surpass his previous best of 7,734, which he scored while winning the U.S. junior title in Sacramento on June 26.



The two-day competition had its ups and downs for Williams. After three events, he was in 16th place. Williams inched up to 10th, only for a poor discus performance (115—1) to drop him to 12th with three events to go.



Williams cleared 16-4 ¾ to finish second in the competition in his best event, the pole vault, and earn 880 points. On the ninth event, Williams threw the javelin 184-9 – more than 20 feet farther than in Sacramento – and clipped his 1,500 best by one second to complete the competition.



Williams’ total strengthened his position as the No. 3 performer in U.S. junior history, behind only Gunnar Nixon (8,018 and 7,760) and Kevin Lazas (8,016 and 7,935).



Here is a rundown of Williams’ decathlon, event by event (* = personal bests):



First day:

100 meters – 10.75*, 917 points (2nd in event, 2nd overall); Long jump – 22-3 ¾* , 767 (25th, 16th); Shot put – 44-4 ¾*, 700 (18th, 16th); High jump – 6-4 ¼, 749 (16th, 13th); 400 – 48.21, 899 (4th, 10th). Total: 4,032.



Second day:

110 high hurdles – 14.37*, 927 (9th, 10th); Discus – 115-1, 565 (22nd, 12th); Pole vault – 16-4 ¾, 880 (2nd, 8th); Javelin – 184-9*, 682 (5th, 6th); 1,500 – 4:41.01*, 674 (11th, 6th). Final total: 7,760.



In the women’s 400, Stanford incoming freshman Olivia Baker won her first-round heat in 54.09. Baker will compete in the semifinals on Thursday at 7:05 p.m.



Williams and Baker are among seven Stanford athletes or incoming freshmen competing in the meet. Besides Baker, Thursday’s action includes Stanford rising sophomore Valarie Allman, the U.S. junior women’s discus champ who will compete in the first round at 10 a.m.



Results link: http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-junior-championships/iaaf-world-junior-championships-2014-4954/timetable/byday





For more information, contact:



David Kiefer

Assistant athletic communications director

Stanford University

dkiefer@stanford.edu

(650) 759-0258, cell