The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

National record holder Ken Mullings positioned himself for a medal in the men’s decathlon yesterday as the track and field competition got underway at the 19th Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.

Mullings completed the first day in fourth place with 4,035 points after the first five of 10 events contested in the men’s decathlon on Monday at the Coliseo del Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez.

His counterpart and former national record holder Kendrick Thompson was listed to compete in the event, but he didn’t make the trip.

Competing solo, Mullings opened the multiple event competition with a victory in his heat of the men’s 100 metres in 10.89 seconds to generate 885 points to snatch the early lead on the field of 10 competitors.

Mullings, competing in Group B of the men’s long jump, dropped to third with a leap of 22-feet, 7 ¾ inches or 6.90m for 790 points, putting him in third place overall.

Out of Group A of the men’s shot put, Mullings got another third with a heave of 47-9 ½ (14.57m) for 763 points as he remained in third in the standings.

The 26-year-old came back in the high jump and soared 6-7 ¼ (2.01m) for third place with 813 points to hold onto third overall.

Mullings ended the day in the first heat of the men’s 400 metres in second place in 50.67 for 784 points. He, however, dropped to fourth place in the standings. As the decathlon is completed today, Mullings will be competing in the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and the 1,500m.

Also in action yesterday was Andros native Samson Colebrooke, the lone competitor entered in a track event. He had to settle for seventh place in the second of three heats of the men’s 100 metre semifinals in 10.62.

Colebrooke, 26, was 19th overall, but heat winner Erik Barbosa of Brazil (10.43) and Puerto Ricos’ runner-up Diego Gonzalez (10.50) got into the final.

The fastest qualifier was Jose Gonzalez of the Dominican Republic in 10.30.

Meanwhile, in the waters of the Cofradía Náutica del Pacífico in Algarrobo, Chile, Joshua Higgins, the other Bahamian competing in sailing, gave it his best shot in the Dinghy ILCA 7 category.

The native of Harbour Island wrapped up competition in 17th place overall out of a field of 22 competitors with a total net score of 68 and an overall tally of 87.

In his final three races yesterday, Higgins was 17th and 19th twice in races three, four and five respectively.

On Saturday, he did his first two races, finishing 17th and 15th for 16th position at that point with 32 points

The two races, which were scheduled for Sunday, were postponed and were completed yesterday along with the final race in the series.

Mullings will be back in action in the final five events of the decathlon today.

And the other two members of Team Bahamas’ track team, Donald Thomas and Rhema Otabor, will compete on Friday in the men’s high jump and women’s javelin respectively.

Team Bahamas already earned a medal at the games during the first week of competition as swimmer Lamar Taylor touched the wall for the bronze in the men’s 50 metres freestyle.