Kyle Garland Sets Collegiate Decathlon Record, Qualifies For Worlds

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --- Bulldog junior decathlete Kyle Garland destroyed the collegiate record with 8,720 points and qualified to be on Team USA for the coming World Athletics Championships to wrap up the USATF Combined Events Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.

Garland, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., posted six personal bests out of his 10 events, including his final three to end the competition.  Garland's 8,720 score left the former collegiate record of 8,539 (Lindon Victor, 2017) far behind as he became the No. 7 American performer in history.

A top-three finish and a score of 8,350 points or more for Garland also qualified him for a spot on Team USA for the coming World Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., on July 15-24.  The top three finishers in this weekend's meet will also have the opportunity to be invited to compete during the Thorpe Cup and other U.S. combined event competitions.

Garland moves into the 2022 NCAA lead over Arkansas' Ayden Owens, who was No. 2 on the all-time collegiate list with 8,528 but was ahead of Victor on the all-time collegiate list on several publications because Owens' events were wind-legal (2.0 meters/second or less) and Victor's were wind-aided.  Garland is now No. 2 on the 2022 world list behind former Bulldog Garrett Scantling, who won today's meet with a mammoth 8,867 points.  Finally, Garland takes over the school record since Karel Tilga owned it with an 8,484 from the 2021 Spec Towns Invitational.

On Friday, Garland finished with two personal bests to score a day one collegiate best score (4,660).  Counting the U.S. Olympic Trials last summer, this is only Garland's fourth collegiate decathlon.

Full Results: Please visit the following link to check Garland's progress over the two days: gado.gs/9b3

The Lowdown: Garland started his day two off in fine fashion with a personal best in the 110-meter hurdles with a 13.71.  This gave him a second-place finish and placed him No. 5 on the school's all-time top-10 list in the event.

Garland then sandwiched a mark of 46.16 meters/151 feet, 5 inches in the discus to keep pace in the overall race.  He was fifth in the event and remained in first place following the seventh event.

Reaching 4.45m/14-7.25 in the pole vault earlier this season in a decathlon at the Tennessee Relays, Garland rode three first attempt clearances to start the pole vault on Saturday and then finished with a pair of second try clearances, including at a personal best height of 4.85m/15-11.  He slipped to second overall after this event with Scantling going over the bar at nearly 17 feet.

Garland registered yet another personal record as the competition's ninth event, the javelin, arrived.  He built to a third and final toss of 59.63m/195-7 to firm his foundation as a runner-up to Scantling.

In the finale of two-day event, Garland situated himself in the back half of the 1500m pack and ran the fastest time of his life with a 4:43.21.  This edged the 4:44 he clocked during his victorious competition at the 2021 SEC Championships.

Day one's five events: 100m – 10.63 (personal best); long jump – 7.86m/25-9.50 (personal best); shot put – 16.44m/53-11.25; high jump – 2.16m/7-1; 400m – 49.04

Up Next: While Garland is expected to rest and then begin training again during the coming week, his teammates will be competing at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Oxford, Miss., on May 12-14.  Garland is planning on competing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., arriving on June 8-11 for the Bulldogs.

Results and recaps from the USATF Combined Events will be found at georgiadogs.com.  News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on Twitter/Instagram at@UGATrack.

Kyle Garland Sets Collegiate Decathlon Record, Qualifies For Worlds

Players Mentioned

Kyle Garland

Karel Tilga

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