Bryan Clay

Event:  Decathlon
Height: 5-11
Weight: 185
PR: 8,820 (2004); Day 1 (4554) - 10.39, 8.06m, 16.25m, 2.06m, 47.78; Day 2 (4226) - 13.80, 52.10m, 5.10m, 72.00m, 4:38.93
Born: 1980, in Austin, Texas
Current Residence: Glendora, Calif.
High School:  Castle (Keneohe, Hawaii) HS ‘98
College: Azusa Pacific ‘02
Coach: Kevin Reid
Agent: Paul Doyle
Club: Nike

Clay endured a difficult season in 2007 as injuries kept him from finishing the decathlon at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships and the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, where he was in second place heading into the high jump when he suffered an injury to his right quadriceps while attempting to clear 2.0 meters, which forced him to withdraw.  But w008 got off to a good start when he won the World Indoor title in the heptathlon in Valencia, Spain. With his win in Gotzis on May 28, Clay ended the 2006 season with the world's top 10-event performance of the year with 8,677 points. In ending the 2006 season ranked #1 in the world, Clay became the first American to earn that distinction two years in a row since Dan O'Brien in 1995-96. At the 2005 World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, Finland, Clay delivered an amazing performance in atrocious conditions to win the gold medal with a world-leading total of 8,732 points. Clay won by a 211-point margin over reigning Olympic champion Roman Sebrle (CZE). His performance provided the largest point differential between first and second places at a World Outdoor Championships since former world record holder Dan O'Brien won gold for Team USA in 1995 with a victory margin of 206 points. Clay held a 222-point lead going into the ninth event, the javelin throw, where he demolished all other competitors with his best throw of 72.00 meters/236 feet, 3 inches to add 920 points to his total. He went from the best performance in the field to the worst with his final event 1,500m time of 5:03.77, but by then the issue had long been decided. Clay set three individual event personal bests en route to winning the gold medal with his world-leading score. Clay posted personal bests in the shot put (16.25m/53-3.75), 400 meters (47.78) and the javelin (72.00m/236-2) in Helsinki. His javelin mark was a World Championships record for the decathlon...After setting a personal best of 8,660 points with his win at the 2004 Olympic Trials, Clay bettered that effort with his silver medal-winning total of 8,820 points at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. His tally is the fourth-best in Olympic history, trailing only gold medal winning performances by Roman Sebrle (CZE) in 2004 (8,893), American Dan O'Brien in 1996 (8,824) and Great Britain's Daley Thompson (8,847) in 1984. Clay's Athens point total makes him the sixth-best decathlete in history, behind five men who set world records: Sebrle (9,026), Tomas Dvorak (8,894), Dan O'Brien (8,891), Thompson (8,847) and Jurgen Hingsen (8,832). A solid decathlon performer for several years, Clay made a big improvement in 2003 with his runner-up, 8,482-point personal best at the USA Outdoor Championships. He continued his improvement at the 2004 World Indoor Championships, where his score of 6,365 points won the silver medal and made him the #2 American all time. Clay's performance inspired gold medalist Roman Sebrle to declare, "It's not just Tom Pappas anymore. It's Bryan, too." Clay proved it by defeating Pappas at the 2004 Olympic Trials...Clay moved from Austin, Texas, to Hawaii when he was five years old. Known for his versatility in high school, where he would compete in six events at a given meet, Clay was influenced by 2000 Olympic decathlon bronze medalist Chris Huffins. Clay met Huffins as a high school sophomore at a track clinic in Hawaii, and Huffins persuaded him to try the decathlon. It was Huffins who introduced Clay to his college coach Kevin Reid at Azusa Pacific University, who remains Clay's coach. Clay's strongest events are the 100 meters, long jump, the 110m hurdles and the discus. The U.S. has a terrific legacy in the decathlon and I want to be a part of it. I have a very strong competitive nature and I want to be the best I can be. I want to excel as a decathlete and continue as one of the world's best through the 2008 Olympics in Beijing." Married to Sarah in 2004...has two children.

Competition Results:
2008: Olympic Games champion (8791 points) ... World Indoor champ (6,371)
2007: Did not finish at USA Outdoors...Did not finish at World Outdoors...1^st at Gotzis (8,493)...ranked #6 in world, #1 U.S. by T&FN...best of 8,493.
2006: Did not finish at USA Outdoors (low blood sugar)...2^nd at World Indoor heptathlon (6,187 points)...1^st at Gotzis (8,677WL)...ranked #1 in world and U.S.by T&FN...best of 8,677.
2005: World Championships gold medalist (8,732 points)...1st at USA Outdoor Champs (8,506 points)...ranked #1 in world by T&FN...best of 8,732 points.
2004: Olympic Games silver medalist (8,820 points)...1st at Olympic Trials (8,660 points)...runner-up at World Indoors heptathlon (6,365PR, #2 all-time by American)...ranked #2 in world, #1 U.S. by T&FN...best of 8,820.
2003: 2nd at USA Outdoor Champs (8,482 points)...1st at Berkeley (8225)...dropped out after five events because of an injured hamstring at World Outdoor Champs...best of 8,482PR...ranked #5 in the world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN.
2002: 2nd at USA Outdoors (8,230 PR)...13th at USA vs. Germany Decathlon Dual (6,781)...NAIA Nationals pentathlon and long jump champion...ranked #3 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 8,230 pts.
2001: 3rd at USA Outdoors (8,169 pts.)...13th at World University Games...did not finish at World Outdoor Championships...NAIA National long jump champion (7.52m/24-8.25)...ranked #4 in U.S...best of 8,169 pts.
2000: NAIA decathlon champion...best of 7,373 pts.
1999: USA Junior champ (7,312 pts.)...Pan American Junior champ (7,207)...3rd at NAIA Outdoors...best of 7,312.

Olympic Experience

• 2-time Olympian; 2-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)
• Olympic Games Beijing 2008, gold (Decathlon - Men)
• Olympic Games Athens 2004, silver (Decathlon - Men)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2010 – gold (Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men)
• Years of participation: Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010; Decathlon - Men 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007
• Medals: 5 (3 gold, 2 silver)
• Gold – 2010 (Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men); 2008 (Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men); 2005 (Decathlon - Men)
• Silver – 2006 (Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men); 2004 (Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men)