Long Beach State University
Big West Multis
Richardson Takes Decathlon Title, Cram Third
5/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
May 10, 2008
Long Beach, Calif. - Chris Richardson increased on a big lead to win the Big West Championship in the decathlon by 441 points, totaling 7,461 overall points. Collin Cram also had a big weekend, reaching the podium to take third place with 6,739 points.
Richardson's total puts him on a good pace prior to the NCAA championships, where he will attempt to repeat as an All-American as well as potentially take the National Championship in Des Moines from June 11-14.
Collin Cram's improvement also was a big story. Entering the day in sixth place, Cram cleared a meet-high 15'1" in the pole vault, capping his passing three participants to lock up a second podium finish for the 49ers, as he scored a lifetime best 6,739 points.
The pair's combined finish put the 49ers in good shape in the team competition as well, leading the Big West Championships with 16 total points. Cal State Northridge stands in second with 12 points, while UC Irvine took 9 points with three participants.
In the heptathlon, Katie Black held close to her mark of yesterday, holding off a challenge from UC Riverside's Ashley Gatewood to take sixth place and earn three team points for Long Beach State. Cal Poly's Katie Robbins had a huge mark in the javelin to leapfrog Black, the only competitor to pass the senior on the second day of competition. Black's long jump of 16'6" was her best mark of the day.
The remainder of the 49ers will begin competition next weekend in Northridge, as the remainder of the Big West Championships kicks off for two full days of competition on Friday, May 16.
