TRACK AND FIELD: UGA’s Devon Williams Starts VT Elite Heptathlon In Second

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TRACK AND FIELD: UGA’s Devon Williams Starts VT Elite Heptathlon In Second

Devon Williams in the 110 meter hurdles during the Bulldog Decathlon/Heptathlon at Spec Towns Track on Thursday, April 9, 2015 in Athens, Ga. (Photo by John Kelley)

Devon Williams in the 110 meter hurdles during the Bulldog Decathlon/Heptathlon at Spec Towns Track on Thursday, April 9, 2015 in Athens, Ga.
(Photo by John Kelley)

 
 
Georgia junior Devon Williams is in second place in the heptathlon at the Virginia Tech Doc Hale Elite Meet in Blacksburg, Va., following four events on Thursday.

 
 
Williams, a native of Marietta, Ga., has scored 3,051 points after winning both the 60-meter dash and the long jump to start the competition.
 
 
“I am proud of him for battling through some adversity today and doing a good job overall,” said Bulldog head coach Petros Kyprianou. “He had a big (foul) in the long jump that was close to his big jump last weekend and I thought he stayed pretty steady in all of the events today. Devon needs to pick right back up and do it again on Friday, and I have confidence in him that he will.”
 
 
Gonzalo Barroilhet, a Bulldog volunteer assistant coach who is a two-time Chilean Olympian and a four-time All-American at Florida State, is leading the competition with 3,101 points. This marks the first multi-events competition at the VT Elite Meet so Friday’s winner will own the meet record.
 
 
Williams opened the day by leaving the field behind in the 60. He ran a 7.03 for 872 points while the second-place competitor, Barroilhet, crossed the line in 7.35.
 
 
Following a monstrous leap of 24 feet, 10 inches to win the heptathlon’s long jump at the Razorback Invitational last weekend, Williams picked up his second victory in a row in the event with a mark of 23-4.50 for another 842 points.
 
 
While Barroilhet distanced himself from the field in the shot put with a toss of 48-0.50, Williams had an opening try of 40-3.25 and followed with two fouls. Williams added 623 points to his total with this fourth-place performance.
 
 
Williams matched his clearance in the high jump from the Razorback meet, which also happened to be the second-best mark in his career. With four first-attempt clearances to start, he went over the bar at 6-2.75 (714) to finish fourth and wrap up his first day.
 
 
This marks Williams’ second heptathlon in as many weeks. He competed in Fayetteville, Ark., at the Razorback meet last Friday and Saturday. With that being said, he actually is competing with only four rest days between the two meets.
 
 
On Arkansas’ campus, Williams was third following the competition’s first day and first four events with a day one personal-best score of 3,235. Blazing to a time of 7.85 in the 60 hurdles the next day that matched his personal best, Williams then did not reach a height in the pole vault. However, he did return to run his first 1000 of the season to end the heptathlon and finished with 4,990 points.
 
 
The final three events of the VT Elite heptathlon (60 hurdles, pole vault, 1000) are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Friday morning.
 
 
Live stats and full results from the meet will be posted at georgiadogs.com.
 


 

CLICK HERE FOR VT ELITE HEPTATHLON DAY ONE RESULTS

 


 

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