McMorris prevails in decathlon with 8,074 points, leading four Americans in the top five, securing back-to-back team victories for first time since streak from 2002-09; Riedel leads inspired German comeback in final three events of heptathlon in Wetzlar, edging U.S. by 62 points for first home win since 2009

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos courtesy of Thorpe Cup

Hakim McMorris and the American decathletes managed to maintain their momentum Sunday at the Thorpe Cup.

Unfortunately for the U.S. women’s lineup, host Germany relied on the veteran experience of Serina Riedel to lead an inspired comeback and triumph in the heptathlon competition at Wetzlar Stadium, preventing an American sweep for the second year in a row.

McMorris built on the best opening-day score in Thorpe Cup history and prevailed with 8,163 points, followed by U.S. teammate Denim Rogers with 8,074 points, as the Americans produced four of the top five competitors to secure victory by a 39,065 to 37,472 margin to win back-to-back men’s team titles for the first time since a significant streak from 2002-09.

Sam Black finished fourth with 7,845 points, Daniel Spejcher placed fifth at 7,701 points and Josh Farmer took ninth with 7,282 points for the victorious Americans.

The U.S. increased its overall advantage in the series to 16-13, winning two in a row in Germany for only the second time in meet history, including 2003 and 2005, with the 2004 event in Kansas being canceled.

Despite having the top three competitors and building a 344-point lead following the first day of the heptathlon schedule, the U.S. women couldn’t keep their advantage, as Riedel elevated from fourth to capture the title with 6,078 points, leading Germany to a 17,901 to 17,839 victory against the Americans.

Germany still trails 12-5 all-time, but has prevailed two of the past three years, including snapping a run of 10 consecutive victories by the U.S. in 2022 in Texas. It also marked the first win for Germany on home soil since 2009 in Marburg.

Riedel, who finished fourth last year with 5,696 points, didn’t win an event Sunday. But her consistency allowed the 21-year-old German to overcome an 84-point deficit and produce a lifetime-best performance to hold off American competitor Allie Jones at 6,062 points.

Riedel achieved a wind-legal 20-1.50 (6.13m) in the third round of the long jump, produced an opening-round effort of 141-2 (43.04m) in the javelin throw and clocked 2:15.76 in the 800 meters to become the first German female competitor to secure the individual victory since Anna Maiwald won in 2019 with 5,941 points.

Although Jones won the long jump with a wind-legal leap of 21-2.50 (6.46m) and triumphed in the 800 in 2:11.94, it was her mark of 101 feet (30.80m) in the javelin that ultimately determined the final outcome.

Jenna Fee Feyerabend took third for Germany with 5,947 points, followed by American athletes Timara Chapman and opening-day leader Jenelle Rogers with 5,899 and 5,878 points, respectively. Lucie Kienast secured sixth place with 5,876 points for the Germans to secure the team title.

Despite Marie Dehning earning eighth overall for Germany with 5,535 points, she won the javelin competition with a 169-9 (51.75m) performance. 

McMorris needed to overcome an eight-point deficit against Rogers entering the 1,500 meters in order to emerge victorious in the decathlon after achieving the best first-day mark in meet history with 4,503 points Saturday, eclipsing the 2009 performance of 4,472 points by fellow American competitor Tom Pappas.

Although Marcel Meyer of Germany, who took third with 8,012 points, prevailed in 4:27.52, McMorris finished second in 4:28.42 and Rogers placed fourth in 4:43.64, resulting in a 97-point difference and a new Thorpe Cup winner for the U.S. after Felix Wolter triumphed last year for the host country.

Austin West was the last American male competitor to earn the victory in 2022 in Texas.

Rogers edged McMorris by a 13.76 to 13.93 margin in the 110 hurdles, in addition to winning the javelin with a first-round performance of 184-5 (56.23m).

Ryan Talbot and Rogers both cleared 15-9 (4.80m) to share top honors in the pole vault competition, and Spejcher earned the discus victory for the U.S. with a 152-11 (46.61m) effort in the second round.

Although Leo Neugebauer didn’t compete for host Germany in the Thorpe Cup decathlon, he did participate in a triathlon event as part of his preparation for the Paris Olympics, winning with 2,843 points based on his performances Sunday in the 110-meter hurdles, discus throw and pole vault.

Neugebauer ran a wind-legal 14.40 in the 110 hurdles, produced a discus effort of 171-1 (52.14m) and cleared a lifetime-best 17-4.50 (5.30m) in the pole vault.

Niklas Kaul of Germany had 2,537 points and U.S. decathlon champion Heath Baldwin earned 2,520 points, including a 110 hurdles victory in 14.03.