Santiago Lorenzo has been there before, done that before.
But this time, it’s so very different.
In his first full decathlon since sitting out the 2002 season with a quadricep injury, Lorenzo was third overall after the first day of the decathlon at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, with some of his best events still to come today. Lorenzo won the Texas Relays decathlon in 2001 on his way to the NCAA title in the multi-event competition.
“It was a weird day, but it’s over and I’m looking forward to trying to score as close to 4,000 points tomorrow,” Lorenzo said.
Fellow Duck Andy Young stood 16th in the 19-member field. Another Duck, Gabe LeMay, was forced to pull out of the decathlon because of a leg injury.
Lorenzo, who had 3,961 points, trailed Dana Thomas by 94 points and leader Maurice Smith by 182 points in the two-day event. The athletes competed in five events Wednesday and will finish with five today.
Lorenzo stayed close to the top of the overall competition despite finishing no better than third in any event. In chronological order, he finished sixth in the 100-meter dash, tied for third in the long jump, seventh in the shot put, tied for sixth in the high jump and, finally, tied for fifth in the 400. His marks in the 100 and the long jump were personal bests.
If Lorenzo is anything like his pre-injury self, he will only move up in the standings. Today’s events are the 110 hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500. Lorenzo is ranked in Oregon’s decathlon top-five all-time in the javelin and pole vault, and in 2001 he won the NCAA Championships decathlon with a gutsy eight-second personal best in the 1,500.
“I got two personal bests today so I know I’m not out of shape,” Lorenzo said. “Everything’s been going well in practice, except the shot put, which hasn’t felt quite right technique-wise. I’ll just go back (Wednesday night) and get some fluids and massage and get ready for tomorrow.”
Triple jumper Derek Strubel and hurdler Eric Mitchum will enter the competition today for the men’s squads as Lorenzo and Young finish up the decathlon.

Six set to compete

for women
The Oregon women’s track and field team will send six athletes into battle today at the Texas Relays, and they’ll blanket Mike A. Myers Stadium all day.
The Ducks will compete mostly in the field events. Among the competing athletes are high jumper Jenny Brogdon, pole vaulter Georgette Moyle, discus thrower Jordan Sauvage and triple jumper Amanda Brown. On the track, sprinter Heather Murtaugh, hurdler Abby Andrus and the 4×400 relay squad will be in action.
Andrus is the one to watch for the women. A junior transfer from Paradise Valley Community College, Andrus was the national junior college runner-up in the heptathlon last season. She’s set to compete in the 400 hurdles today.