FAYETTEVILLE -- It was a clean sweep for Team USA at John McDonnell Field on Saturday.
The Americans won the decathlon and heptathlon by large margins at the Thorpe Cup, with the men defeating the Germans by 1,418 points and the women winning by 1,899.
Thorpe Cup Results
Men
USA: 38,845
Germany: 37,427 (-1,418)
- Scott Filip (USA): 7876
- Harrison Williams (USA): -27
- Solomon Simmons (USA): -120
- Kurtis Brondyke (USA): -181
- Mitch Modin (USA): -207
- Tim Nowak (GER): -262
- Austin Bahner (USA): -283
- Patrick Scherfose (GER): -300
- Rene Stauss (GER): -348
- Felix Hepperle (GER): -496
- Kale Wolken (USA): -515
- Nils Merten (GER): -547
- Dennis Hutterer (GER): -552
- Marvin Bollinger (GER): -713
Women
USA: 18,320
Germany: 16,421 (-1,899)
- Chantae McMillan (USA): 6,260
- Lindsay Lettow (USA): -162
- Lindsay Schwartz (USA): -298
- Allison Reaser (USA): -382
- Alex Gochenour (Guest): -516
- Sophie Hamann (GER): -718
- Lea Menzel (GER): -818
- Anna-Lena Obermaier (GER): -823
- Tatum Souza (Guest): -1,610
While neither team struggled to capture the team trophy, the individual decathlon title came down to the final event. Four Americans had a chance to win entering the 1,500-meter run, but Scott Filip held off Harrison Williams by 27 points, finishing with 7,876.
He needed to finish within 11 seconds of Williams to stay on top and did so by crossing the finish line less than 8 seconds behind him.
"We were pushing each other," Filip said. "We got in the locker room before the race and Harrison looked at me and said, 'You know I'm not going to make it easy.' I was up to the challenge I guess."
Filip's personal-best score led a group of five Americans that outscored the best German, Tim Nowak, who finished sixth with 7,614 points. It was the first time Team USA won the annual event since 2009, snapping a six-year losing streak and extending their series lead to 14-9.
Filip and Williams have competed against each other as collegians -- they are seniors at Rice and Stanford, respectively -- so they knew each other's strengths. Williams said he warned Filip he could make a run at the title.
"We both knew he was more of a first-day guy, so after the first day I told him he better hold on to that lead because a lot of us were coming," Williams said. "I'm a better second-day guy, so I knew I'd make a late push.
The American women extended their Thorpe Cup winning streak to seven years and pushed their series lead to 8-3. Their team score of 18,320 points was a record for the 11-year-old event.
Chantae McMillan also broke a meet-record, scoring 6,260 points to win the individual title. She surpassed Barbara Nwaba's 2014 total by 55 points.
Although it was a record-breaking performance, McMillan said she was disappointed in her finish in the 800 meters.
"I knew the meet record was within reach coming into the meet, period," McMillan said. "I could have [set a personal record if I ran something within what I can run. I quit on myself."
McMillan competed in the 2012 London Olympics but missed the Rio games by 76 points at the Olympic Trials.
Former Arkansas All-American Alex Gochenour, competing as a guest, placed fifth with 5,744 points. She finished behind four Americans.
The top German, Sophie Hamann, was sixth with 5,542 points.
Sports on 07/31/2016