UT's Addy leaving SEC field behind

Tennessee's Jangy Addy put together the best first-day decathlon series of his career Thursday to take a commanding lead as the SEC outdoor track and field championships got underway at Auburn, Ala.

Addy, a senior and the defending champion, posted a career-best first day score of 4,287 points after waiting out a two-hour rain delay.

He has a 343-point lead on Florida's Steffan Hommel (3,944).

UT freshman Michael Ayers is third at 3,900.

Addy won four of the five events and broke two of UT's decathlon-event records. The only event he didn't win was the high jump, in which he made only one attempt, clearing 6 feet, 2 inches.

His records came in the 100 meters, at 10.58 seconds, and the shot put, where he bettered his own mark to 53-6.50.

Ayers is competing in his second collegiate decathlon.

"Jangy did what he should have done and exceeded my expectations with his score,'' said UT coach Bill Webb.

Hommel is a sophomore transfer from the University of Stuttgart in Germany. This is his first decathlon at Florida.

Heptathlon: Marissa Harris of Mississippi State leads the heptathlon after four of seven events with 3,502 points.

Danielle Sampley of Kentucky, a freshman from William Blount, is third at 3,263. UT freshman Jena Murphy, competing in her first heptathlon, is 12th at 2,526.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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