Senior Zach Paustian improved by more than 150 points from his last decathlon at the 2019 MIAC Championship Meet in the 2021 opener at the SJU multi-event meet.
Senior Zach Paustian improved by more than 150 points from his last decathlon at the 2019 MIAC Championship Meet in the 2021 opener at the SJU multi-event meet.
Posted: Apr 18, 2021

Rhonemus & Paustian Open At SJU

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (4/18/21)---Sophomore Wade Rhonemus and senior Zach Paustian opened their outdoor multi-event season by competing at the St. John's Decathlon. Rhonemus came away with a final total of 5,764 points and finished fifth while Paustian was 10th at 4,839 points.

Paustian's final total is 179 points more than the last time he competed in a collegiate decathlon which came at the 2019 MIAC Championship Meet.

Rhonemus, who earned USTFCCCA Central All-Region honors in the indoor heptathlon, scored at least 600 points in four of the 10 events and had at least 500 points in eight events. He also finished in the Top 3 of the 16 multi-event competitors in the 400 meters, pole vault and javelin.

Rhonemus' top scoring event was the very first one. He ran an 11.69 in the 100 meters which extrapolated out to 699 points. His other 600-plus-point events came in the long jump (602), 400 meters (665) and the pole vault (631).

Rhonemus finished second in the field in the pole vault and javelin. He was able to clear 13-03.50 in the pole vault which earned him 631 points. He then posted a distance of 159-02 in the javelin which picked up 567 points. Rhonemus crossed the line in third place in the 400 meters with a time of 53.39.

Like Rhonemus, Paustian's top scoring event came in the opener when he clocked an 11.87 and scored 677 points. That would also be one of eight events where he recorded at least 500 points.

Paustian was in the Top 5 of all athletes in four different events. He won the discus with a throw of 104-04 which gave him 500 points. He claimed third place in the shot put with a mark of 35-09.25. Paustian was fourth in both the pole vault and javelin and both events earned him more than 500 points for his total. He cleared 11-11.75 for 522 points in the pole vault and then earned 517 points in the javelin with a distance of 148-02.          
   
UP NEXT: Rhonemus and Paustian will join the rest of the Cobbers when the team returns to multi-team competition at the Northern State Open on Saturday, Apr. 24.