2/27/2015
BOSTON -- Sharon Day-Monroe (Costa Mesa HS 2003; Cal Poly SLO 2008) made history by winning her fourth consecutive national indoor title to kick off the 2015 USATF Indoor Championships Friday.
Day-Monroe (Los Angeles) became the most decorated American since the addition of the outdoor heptathlon in 1981, winning her fourth consecutive indoor title to accompany her three outdoor titles. Day-Monroe is the first athlete in USATF history to win four consecutive indoor pentathlon crowns.
She started the day with a third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles, but came back with a strong performance in high jump, clearing 1.83m/6-0 for 1016 points. Top marks continued when she tossed 15.41m/50-6.75 in the shot put for 888 points and was best in long jump with a mark of 5.94m/19-6.
After four events in men’s indoor heptathlon, world leader Jeremy Taiwo (Seattle) ended the day just 41 points off PR pace with 3,471 points. The world record holder in the indoor heptathlon high jump is dominating the two-day event and turned in the top mark in three of four events Friday, including the long jump (7.39m/24-3, 908 points), shot put (14.50m/47-7, 759 points) and his strongest day one event, the high jump (2.16m/7-1, 953 points). Taiwo was the only competitor to clear two meters in the high jump and his mark was a season’s best.
The 2015 USATF Indoor Championships, which take place at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center on the campus of Roxbury Community College, will be broadcast live on Saturday, Feb. 28 and Sunday, March 1 on USATF.TV and NBCSN. All events from these broadcast windows will be made available for on-demand viewing on USATF.TV. On-demand action from Friday’s multi-events is already available on USATF.TV.
Quotes
Pentathlon - Final
Sharon Day-Monroe, champion
On winning her fourth consecutive USATF Indoors title
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Feels really good. I didn’t have the best meet of my life but it was a solid day. I’m not sharp yet, it’s only my third meet of the year. It’s my first time long jumping this year and second time high jumping. I’m happy with how it finished and how everything turned out, but there is certainly a lot to work on heading into outdoors and looking to make the team for Beijing.”
On what’s next after USATF Indoors
“I’ll do a recovery week next and then lightly gearing up into normal practice through March. My first meet will probably be in the beginning of April. A heptathlon later this spring or USATF Outdoors may be my first combined event outdoors.”
On becoming the winningest multi-event female athlete in USATF history
“It feels pretty good knowing the history of the heptathlon and pentathlon in this country. There have been some amazing women to compete in this event nationally and on Team USA. I’m really proud of that accomplishment and hopefully next year, I can add number five.”
Barbara Nwaba, second place
On taking home silver
“I started off really well in the 60-meter hurdles and ran a PR. I was super excited but I was trying to stay even-keeled. I didn’t want to get too up or too down. The high jump is kind of my money-maker and I couldn’t get into a rhythm. My coach told me after that it was going to be a battle from there. I was battling with Kaylon Eppinger for second and I kind of knew that Sharon was out there in front. I think instead of going into the rest of the events with that attitude, I should’ve just focused event-to-event and realize anything is possible. I had to run a pretty good 800m to get back to second place and I won, which I’ve never won an 800m in a multi before. That felt really great.”
On what she learned from her performance
“The points and scores aren’t going to be handed to you. I have to learn that lesson again and again. I need to bring more energy into the event. You can make excuses but they don’t matter. You have to put in the work before the meet and have it come through in your performance.”
On what’s next this season
“I got my first invite to Götzis, so I’m really looking forward to that this spring. Obviously the end goal is to make the team for Beijing. That is my number one priority this year. So just get back and start making adjustments from today, but I’m really proud of how I battled today and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Heptathlon Day One
Jeremy Taiwo, leader
On overall performance from Day One
“It was alright. It was 6:30 a.m. on the West coast when we started, so I wasn’t awake and I didn’t get out that well in the 60, speedwise. I can understand how my body was feeling, so that’s okay. Luckily my second jump going into the long jump was a little better. I felt like everything was just connecting and probably just wasn’t enough pop from travel legs and the time it was, so that was good. I got on the board for all three of them, so I was cool with that. For shot put, I had all three fair throws, so I wasn’t struggling to get in it. I had a good shot put at the end. Going into the high jump, my legs felt really heavy, and I was thinking it might just be one of those days when I need to just get over my opening height and the next height to keep going. I got a little bit of work going and tried to stay positive and in the right mental state. I started having fun. It kind of felt like the first time I went over seven feet, when I set the American record at the time. Bars kept going, and I felt powerful, so it was good.”
On preparation for Day Two
“My coach and I have a couple cues per event that we try to work on. No matter how I perform in an event, I try to do those cues in competition without really focussing on them. For the hurdles, going after the first hurdle is going to be a good cue. In pole vault, the same take-off and same hands high and really working the bar as soon as I get the swing going. In the 1,000, take it out with some cool down laps. I’m just excited for tomorrow. I’ve got to rest up.”
Miller Moss, second place
On overall performance from Day One
“It’s a really great facility. I started out a little flat today. In the 60 and the long jump, I had pretty average marks. I kind of started to get stuff going in the shot put and the high jump, and I kind of got into a rhythm. I’m still kind of looking for that rythym where I’ve got the adrenaline going.”
On preparation for Day Two
“I think that when you start Day Two you have to be very focused. I don’t think it’s really any different than Day One, but you just have to take it one event at a time and stay focused.”
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