BERLIN (AP) — Oleksiy Kasyanov of Ukraine took the lead after five events of the decathlon at the world championships Wednesday following a balanced performance in the grueling two-day competition.
Kasyanov collected 4,555 points by the end of the first day, which ended nearly two hours later than scheduled because the high jump portion of the event lasted longer than expected.
Yunior Diaz of Cuba had a fast 400-meter race, the last event of the day, to squeeze past Trey Hardee of the United States into second place. Diaz had 4,512 points, only one more than Hardee, who had led the competition after three events.
Hardee posted two personal bests to take the lead, running a season best of 10.45 in the opening 100 meters. He then followed with personal bests in the long jump and the shot put for a total of 2,814 points after three events.
“It’s an exciting decathlon,” Hardee said. “I came out like I wanted, but it’s a decathlon, things can go wrong. My knee gave me a little of trouble in the high jump.
“I need some rest and then have another day like today.”
In the high jump, Hardee cleared 1.99, one centimeter below his personal best.
Kasyanov and Diaz both cleared 2.02.
Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic, the 34-year-old defending champion, cleared 2.11 but then had a slow 400 in 50.42 to trail in seventh at the end of the day.
“I think it’s an international shame,” Sebrle said. “This is just madness. I had a perfect high jump and I was among the last athletes to finish that event and they made me run the first heat at 400 just 20 minutes later.”
Hardee clocked 48.13 in the 400, while Kasyanov was faster at 47.85.
It was Diaz who sizzled on the track, running a personal best in 46.15, a performance that allowed him to move past Hardee.
Kasyanov, usually near the top at the end of the first day, had a heave of 15.72 in the shot put but it was Aleksandr Pogorelov who had the best throw of the day at 16.65 to jump five places into third.
The Russian, who was fourth at last year’s Beijing Olympics, dropped one slot to fourth at the end of the day.
Another American, Ashton Eaton, was in fifth overall.
Bryan Clay, the winner at the Beijing Olympics and the 2005 world champion, is not in Berlin because he missed the U.S. trials with an injury. Maurice Smith of Jamaica, the silver medalist two years ago, dropped out of the competition after picking up a left-thigh injury in the opening sprint.
Smith pulled up halfway through the 100 and slowed to a walk as he crossed in 29.42 seconds. He was treated on the track and limped away with a bandage on his thigh.
