BRYAN CLAY
Event:  Decathlon
Height: 5-11
Weight: 185
PR: 8,832 (2008); Day 1 (4593) - 10.34, 8.05m (+4.5w), 16.25m, 2.10m, 47.78;
Day 2 (4356) - 13.74, 55.87m, 5.10m, 70.55m, 4:38.93
Born: Jan. 3, 1980, in Austin, Texas
Current Residence: Glendora, Calif.
High School:  Castle (Keneohe, Hawaii) HS '98
College: Azusa Pacific '02
Coach: Kevin Reid
Agent: Paul Doyle
Club: Nike 

Career Highlights: 2008 Olympic Games gold medalist; 2008 Jesse Owens Award winner; 2005 World Outdoor champion; 2008 World Indoor champion; three-time USA Outdoor champion ('04, '05, '08); 2004 Olympic silver; Two-time World Indoor silver medalist ('04, '06); 2000 NAIA champion; two-time NAIA LJ champion

Clay claimed the “world’s greatest athlete” moniker with his dominating decathlon win at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.  The first U.S. Olympic decathlon champ since Dan O’Brien in 1996, Clay amassed 8,791 points in capturing the Olympic gold medal. His winning margin was a whopping 240 points over silver medalist Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus, which is the largest winning margin at an Olympic Games since 1972. Clay made a serious statement at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials – Track & Field, where over two days, he scored 8,832 points to win the decathlon and break the previous Olympic Trials record of 8,726 set by Dan O'Brien in 1996, the year O'Brien won Olympic gold. Clay's score was a personal best, the best by an American in 16 years, and the best in the world in four years. Clay ended the 2008 campaign ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News for the third time in his career, and also was named the magazine’s U.S. Athlete of the Year, as well as winning USATF’s Jesse Owens Award. In being named #1 in the world for the third time in his career, Clay joins other American decathlon greats Dan O’Brien (4 times), Bruce Jenner, Rafer Johnson, Bob Mathias and Bill Toomey in that exclusive club. Clay endured a difficult season in 2007 as injuries kept him from finishing the decathlon at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships and the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, where he was in second place heading into the high jump when he suffered an injury to his right quadriceps while attempting to clear 2.0 meters, which forced him to withdraw.  With his win in Gotzis on May 28, Clay ended the 2006 season with the world’s top 10-event performance of the year with 8,677 points. At the 2005 World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, Finland, Clay delivered an amazing performance in atrocious conditions to win the gold medal with a world-leading total of 8,732 points. Clay won by a 211-point margin over reigning Olympic champion Roman Sebrle (CZE). His performance provided the largest point differential between first and second places at a World Outdoor Championships since O'Brien won gold for Team USA in 1995 with a victory margin of 206 points. Clay set three individual event personal bests en route to winning the gold medal with his world-leading score. Clay posted personal bests in the shot put (16.25m/53-3.75), 400 meters (47.78) and the javelin (72.00m/236-2) in Helsinki. His javelin mark was a World Championships record for the decathlon…After setting a personal best of 8,660 points with his win at the 2004 Olympic Trials, Clay bettered that effort with his silver medal-winning total of 8,820 points at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. His tally is the fourth-best in Olympic history, trailing only gold medal winning performances by Roman Sebrle (CZE) in 2004 (8,893), American Dan O’Brien in 1996 (8,824) and Great Britain’s Daley Thompson (8,847) in 1984. Had his international breakthrough when he won the silver medal in the heptathlon at the 2004 World Indoor Championships. Clay moved from Austin, Texas, to Hawaii when he was five years old. Known for his versatility in high school, where he would compete in six events at a given meet, Clay was influenced by 2000 Olympic decathlon bronze medalist Chris Huffins. Clay met Huffins as a high school sophomore at a track clinic in Hawaii, and Huffins persuaded him to try the decathlon. It was Huffins who introduced Clay to his college coach Kevin Reid at Azusa Pacific University, who remains Clay’s coach. Clay’s strongest events are the 100 meters, long jump, the 110m hurdles and the discus. The U.S. has a terrific legacy in the decathlon and I want to be a part of it. I have a very strong competitive nature and I want to be the best I can be. I want to excel as a decathlete and continue as one of the world’s best through the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.” Married to Sarah in 2004...has two children. Since 2004, he has been hosting free track and field clinics for kids in Hawaii, and in October 2007, he held the first fundraising event for the Bryan Clay Foundation, which provides academic and athletic opportunities to underprivileged children on the island.

2008: Olympic gold medalist (8,791 points) Olympic Trials champion (8,832 points, PR, Olympic Trials record, World Leader)…World Indoor champ (6,371 points)…ranked #1 in world by T&FN…best of 8,832 points.
2007: Did not finish at USA Outdoors…Did not finish at World Outdoors…1st at Gotzis (8,493)…ranked #6 in world, #1 U.S. by T&FN…best of 8,493.
2006: Did not finish at USA Outdoors (low blood sugar)…1st at Gotzis (8,677WL)…ranked #1 in world and U.S.by T&FN…best of 8,677.
2005: World Championships gold medalist (8,732 points)…1st at USA Outdoor Champs (8,506 points)…ranked #1 in world by T&FN…best of 8,732 points.
2004: Olympic Games silver medalist (8,820 points)…1st at Olympic Trials (8,660 points)…runner-up at World Indoors heptathlon (6,365PR, #2 all-time by American)…ranked #2 in world, #1 U.S. by T&FN…best of 8,820.
2003: 2nd at USA Outdoor Champs (8,482 points)…1st at Berkeley (8225)…dropped out after five events because of an injured hamstring at World Outdoor Champs…best of 8,482PR…ranked #5 in the world (#2 U.S.) by T&FN.
2002: 2nd at USA Outdoors (8,230 PR)…13th at USA vs. Germany Decathlon Dual (6,781)…NAIA Nationals pentathlon and long jump champion…ranked #3 in U.S. by T&FN…best of 8,230 pts.
2001: 3rd at USA Outdoors (8,169 pts.)…13th at World University Games…did not finish at World Outdoor Championships…NAIA National long jump champion (7.52m/24-8.25)…ranked #4 in U.S…best of 8,169 pts.
2000: NAIA decathlon champion…best of 7,373 pts.
1999: USA Junior champ (7,312 pts.)…Pan American Junior champ (7,207)…3rd at NAIA Outdoors…best of 7,312.

6/23/09