Monday, May 2, 2022

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Alaska Anchorage senior Elena Cano and Western Washington freshman Ryan Kenny battled through blustery weather conditions to emerge as the leaders after day one of the 2022 GNAC Combined Events Championships at Civic Stadium.

Cano benefitted from the presence of her two specialty events and a trio of top-three finishes on the opening day to take the lead in the heptathlon with a score of 2,887 points. Kenny, who is competing in just his second-ever decathlon, finished the top-two in three of the five events to take the first-day lead with 3,365 points.

The competition in both events, however, is close. In the heptathlon, Central Washington junior McCall DeChenne is 75 points behind in second place with 2,612 points while Western Oregon sophomore Jenelle Hurley is third with 2,773 points.

In the decathlon, Northwest Nazarene freshman Steven Schmidt is just 25 points behind Kenny with a score of 3,340 points. Saint Martin’s sophomore Andrew Boyd is third with 3,284 points.

Cano benefitted from having her two best events on the opening day to take the heptathlon lead. She opened with a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.82 seconds and then won the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 4.25 inches. After placing eighth in the shot put, Cano closed the day with a third-place finish in the 200 meters in 25.93 seconds.

DeChenne was the winner in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.58 seconds and also took the 200 meters in 25.53 seconds. Western Washington freshman Matty Lagerwey won the shot put with a mark of 35 feet, 11 inches.

Kenny’s top finish in the decathlon came in the second event of the day, the long jump, with a mark of 21 feet, 6.75 inches. He opened the day with a second-place finish in the 100 meters, clocking 11.43 seconds, before placing fourth in the shot put with a mark of 33 feet. 4.5 inches. Kenny closed by placing second in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 2.75 inches, and placing fifth in the 400 meters in 53.11 seconds.

Schmidt was the winner in his specialty event, the high jump, with a clearance of 6 feet, 8.75 inches. Boyd took first place in the shot put with a mark of 40 feet, 1.25 inches. Northwest Nazarene sophomore Turner Nye was the winner of the 400 meters in a time of 51.15 seconds.

The GNAC Combined Events Championships will conclude on Tuesday. The decathlon will begin at 10:15 a.m. with 110-meter hurdles followed by the discus, pole vault, javelin and the 1,500 meters. The heptathlon will commence at 11:15 a.m. with the long jump followed by the javelin and 800 meters.