DES MOINES, IA (6/20) Deon Fox ended his freshman season finishing sixteenth in the decathlon at the USA Track & Field Jr. National Championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, IA.

Fox began the second day of the competition by lowering his best time in the 110 meter hurdles. Running the 39' high school hurdles instead of the 42' height, Deon finished in 14.71, more than half a second faster than his PR from his senior year in high school.

An 88' 4" mark on his first attempt in the discus scored 404 points. The next two throws went significantly farther, but failed to land inside the sector.

A strong tailwind and temperatures in the 80's made for a fast runway in the pole vault. Fox cleared 13' 1 ½", more than a foot below his best, but good for 617 points, twelfth in the field. He made up with an eleven foot PR in the javelin, throwing 147' 11" on his first attempt scoring 516.

The long day came to an end with a difficult 1500 meters on the hot track. Fox managed 5:23.49 for 432 more points bringing his total to 6230 and a sixteenth place finish. Wolf Mahler of Belton High School in Texas won with 7419 points.

"This was much different than my first two decathlons," said Fox. "I had a better idea of what to expect and knew what was coming. At Hillsdale and NAIA Nationals, just about everything went right. It was good for me to have to respond when things didn't go the way I planned in the pole vault and discus. "

Friday, CU's Michael Mahon competes in the Jr. Men's Hammer throw.