PROVO -- The multi-event athletes took center stage Wednesday during the first day of competition at the 2005 Clarence Robison Invitational at BYU.
The decathletes looked sharp during the first day, led by BYU's Devin Howe. Howe performed solidly in all five events. He was particularly strong in the 400 meters (50.52), the shot put (40-0.5) and the high jump (6-5). The senior from Quincy, Wash. finished the day with 3,625 points.
Freshman Phillip Bettis of Idaho State is currently in second with 3,397 points.
BYU's Kevin Keys is in third with 3,286 points. Keys finished first in the shot put (42-6) portion of the decathlon. He also performed well in the high jump (6-0.5).
Sophomore Chris Weirich currently sits in sixth place.
On the women's side, indoor nationals runner-up in the pentathlon, Amy Menlove, is currently in second place after four events in the heptathlon. Menlove trails only Jackie Poulsen (3,376 points) of the Pocatello Track Club.
Menlove earned over a thousand points in the 100-meter dash(13.65), and added another 966 points in the 200 meters(24.15). She finished the day with 3,224 points with one of her strongest events, the long jump, still left for tomorrow's finale.
All-American high jumper Lindsey Metcalf, competing in her first hepathlon, sits in fifth place overall. Metcalf scored 830 points in the high jump portion, clearing 5 feet 6 inches. She accumulated 2,927 points on the day.
Freshman Julie Andersen finished the day in ninth place with 2,775 points, while teammate Sarah Lacey placed 11th (2,761 points).
Both events will resume tomorrow at noon on Clarence F. Robison Track.