Saturday, August 3, 2024
By BRENT STUBBS
Chief Sports Editor
bstubbs@teribunemedia.net
PARIS, France: In producing his best finish on the second day of competition, Ken Mullings accumulated enough points to regain the Bahamas national men's decathlon record at the 2024 Olympic Games.
After completing the first events on day one on Friday at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis with 4255 points, Mullings came back and closed the door on the final five events on Saturday with 3,958.
His combined total of 8,226 enabled him to surpass the record held by Kendrick Thompson with his previous best of 8,182 points as he finished 13th to become the first Bahamian to complete the two-day ten event at the Olympics.
In the final two events in the evening session, Mullings posted a personal best of 59.83 for third place and he ran through the line in the grueling 1,500m in a season's best of four minutes and 55.84 seconds for 20th place.
In making his debut on the world's grandest stage of competition, Mullings said while he knew it would be tough to medal, he was hoping to produce a greater final score and eventually a higher position.
"It feels pretty awesome doing it at the Olympics," he said. "What's bigger than the Olympics? So I'm really happy with my performance, even though I didn't place as high as I wanted to, I was able to come back strong on the second day and make my country proud."
On day one, Miullings was seventh overall in the 100m in 10.60 for 952 points; 12th in the long jump with 7.36m for 740 points; 17th in the shot put with a heave of 14.19m for 727 points; fifth in the high jump with 2.02m for 822 points and 19th in the 400m in a season's best of 49.43 for 841 points.
Then on Saturday, he picked up 1014 points for second in the 110m hurdles in 13.70; 11th in the discus with a personal best of 46.97 for 789 points. 10th in the pole vault with 4.80m for 849 to add to his finishes in the javelin and the 1,500m.
Since the games got started on July 27, so far the two swimmers have finished their competition at the Paris La Defense Arena, while Mullings was the third individual and the mixed relay team to be done.
Team Bahamas, with a total of 20 athletes, 18 from track and field, will be looking for some medals from the rest of the contingent that includes Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, the defending men and women quarter-mile champions, along with world indoor 60m hurdles Devynne Charlton, who will compete with two other competitors, Denisha Cartwreight and Charisma Taylor.
The games will continue through Sunday, August 11.
Comments
ThisIsOurs says...
I read and re-read, maybe I missed it, maybe misread, but where did he finish overall? Should have been in the first sentence/paragraph. It's amazing to see a Bahamian competing in the decathlon, it's almost unheard of. That's the sport only the superhumans do and Mullings is with them. Amazing.
Posted 4 August 2024, 2:57 a.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Decathlon is for superhumans ...... No doubt about it.
We praise those athletes who specialize in ONE event and achieve greatness. That is well and fine. But, those special athletes who go above and beyond like Ken (with very little Government or corporate sponsorship) and dedicate their athletic careers to a passion, must be recognized and given their due for representing this country with PRIDE and GRACE.
He deserves this national record in the decathlon to add to his record in the heptathlon. He will be remembered as one of the most unique (though underrated) athletes in The Bahamas.
God bless him for his patriotic service to country.
Posted 4 August 2024, 11 a.m. Suggest removal
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