SAN ANGELO, Texas – After two days and nine events of grueling competition, Humboldt State’s Brian Belue pushed himself past one more limit to earn All-America status in the decathlon at the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships on Friday.
Ranked 12th in the field heading into this week’s competition, Belue claimed seventh overall to secure one of the eight All-America awards. Heading into the final event, the 1,500 meters, he was in eighth and barely ahead of the next standing athlete. But a season-best time of 4 minutes, 45.99 assured Belue of a place on the awards podium and a new HSU school record.
“Today was a mental conquest as opposed to a physical conquest,” HSU head coach Sandy Moran said. “He was really shooting for the school record. That was his big goal, but he ended up being an All-American as well.”
Belue’s time in the 1,500 marked an improvement of nearly five seconds over his previous season best. His decathlon total of 6,774 points moved Belue to the top of the Lumberjacks’ all-time list, eclipsing the 6,721 achieved by Justin Miller in 2002.
“We went out a little fast, and the pack spread out quickly,” Belue said about his 1,500 performance. “I didn’t want to burn out early, so I just reached for what I had in me. It’s a race I’m definitely not afraid of, and probably one of my stronger events.”
With many of his stronger events grouped on the first day, Belue headed into Friday’s final five in third place overall after achieving three personal bests. He added two more PRs on the second day, adding a 12-5 ½ clearance in the pole vault to his quick time in the 1,500.
Belue began the day with a steady performance of 16.62 seconds in the 110 high hurdles, and then followed with a distance of 112-7 inches in the discus. Following the pole vault, the senior from Palmdale tossed the javelin 161-6, setting up his big finish in the day’s finale.
Humboldt State’s Megan Rolland, in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, and Kelsey Lemke, in the women’s javelin, will chase All-America recognition Saturday when the championships conclude.