O’Brien Injury Leaves Top Event Hamstrung

Sheldon Blockburger came away as the star of the USA National Indoor MultiEvent Championship and Hamstring Festival at the Kibbie Dome.

Blockburger won the men’s heptathlon with 6,035 points as first-day leader and decathlon world-record holder Dan O’Brien pulled out of the competition before Saturday’s events because of hamstring cramps.

Friday’s second-place competitor, Chris Huffins, also pulled out after the 60-meter hurdles Saturday because of leg troubles.

Blockburger and second-place finisher Ricky Barker qualified to represent the U.S. at the Indoor World Championships at Barcelona March 11-12, although O’Brien hopes he still might earn an invitation to the meet.

“I hope so. Otherwise it will be a really disappointing indoor season,” said O’Brien, of Moscow.

After taking the first-day lead with 3,646 points, O’Brien began cramping up at home Friday night.

“I can’t figure it out,” he said. “Every time I try to run or get in a position to throw, it just tightens up on me. The problem with this kind of thing is that you never really know when it will go out on you.”

O’Brien, a two-time decathlon world champion, was clearly the headliner, and his absence in some ways deflated the event.

Mike Keller, one of O’Brien’s coaches - who heard of the physical problems only shortly before race time Saturday morning - said it would probably be the end of this week before he would know if O’Brien would get a chance to compete in the World Championships.

Blockburger, formerly a standout at Louisiana State, tied for fourth in the hurdles (8.22), fifth in the pole vault (15-5) and was second in the 1,000 meters at 2:46.34.

Winners of Saturday’s three events were Darrin Steele (8.12 in the hurdles), Drew Fucci (16-8 in the pole vault) and Brian Brophy (2:45.37 in the 1,000).

On Friday, Kym Carter won the women’s pentathlon with an American record 4,696.

Saturday’s heptathlon action was held in conjunction with an allcomers meet in the Kibbie Dome, the highlights of which included Washington State sophomore Yashiva Edwards cruising to a firstplace finish in the 200 meters to give the Cougars their only victory.

Edwards crossed the finish line in 25.02 seconds to clip freshman teammate Tamika Brown, who ran a personal-best time of 25.51 for second place.

Also on the track, senior cocaptain Tiffany Paup lowered her 400-meter time by 2 seconds, finishing in 59.91 for fourth place in her heat. Junior thrower Kim Hulse improved her indoor mark in the shot put by nearly 3 feet. Hulse finished fourth in the competition with a toss of 41-7.

The University of Idaho had six winners. Heidi Bodwell went 17-11 to win the long jump; Althea Belgrave was more than a second faster than her closest competitor in the 800 meters, winning in 2:17.22; and Jill Wimer topped all shot putters with a mark of 44-2.

Bart Ons won the pole vault at 14-6; Scott McCarty took 35-pound heave at 56-8; and freshman Christopher Kwaramba lept 49-3 to win the triple jump.

NIC wrestling

North Idaho beat Clackamas 96-70 to win the Region 18 wrestling championships at Longview, Wash.