Johnson powers to multiple career-bests in heptathlon

LA CROSSE, Wis. - Aaliyah Johnson set multiple career-bests as she and Maddie Hays experienced success in the heptathlon at the Jim Dutcher Memorial Classic.

Two men and two women were in Crete, Neb. for heptathlon and decathlon competitions. Hays and Johnson had multiple career-bests in events, including moving up the all-time lists. Johnson started off her competition with a 17.35 in the 100 meter hurdles, tying her career-best set just last weekend. She followed that up with a 1.55 meter jump in the high jump, a new career-best and placing her at No. 9 on the all-time list.

Johnson's best performance of the competition was in the javelin, winning the event with a throw of 37.31 meters, beating her previous career-best by almost six meters and moving into fourth all-time in school history. Johnson also set a new career-best in the overall heptathlon with a score of 3,937 points.

Hays picked up where she left off in the indoor season in the 200 meters, running a 25.81 to move into fourth all-time in Storm history. Hays also won the 800 meters in a time of 2:28.71, the second-fastest time by a Storm runner in the outdoor season.

Spencer Moon added to his illustrious Simpson career, breaking a near four-decade old record in the 10,000 meters, good for 21st all-time in NCAA Division III history. Moon took second in the race with a time of 29:27.19, adding another school record to his ever-growing list. The time gave him the 21st-best time in DIII history, breaking the old school record by almost 25 seconds that was set by Danny Bauer in 1984. Andrew Klein also competed in the 10k on the evening, running a 31:27.16, good for seventh all-time in Storm history.

On the men's side, Ulysses Patterson took second in a pair of events, throwing 32.58 meters in the discus and jumping 6.38 meters in the long jump. Clarke Latcham also set a pair of career-bests, taking fifth in the discus with a throw of 31.18 meters and a mark of 10.68 meters in the shot put.

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The rest of the Storm roster will compete at Grinnell on Saturday and head back to Doane on Sunday.