Paul Terek Earns Spot On U.S. Olympic Team
7/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track and Field
July 17, 2004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Former Michigan State All-American Paul Terek earned a spot on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field team by placing third in the decathlon at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Terek, who was in sixth place after the opening day of competition, finished with a personal-best 8,312 points, to edge Phil McMullen (8,285 points) for the third and final spot on the U.S. Team.
After placing 16th in the 100-meter hurdles (15.40) to open the final day of competition, Terek moved into third place by placing second in the discus (161-6). Terek then won the pole vault competition with a leap of 17-0 3/4 to solidify his third-place standing. He finished 10th in the javelin (179-5), and then placed second in the 1500-meter run in 4:24.28, holding off McMullen who won the event in 4:15.18 but didn't make up enough points to move ahead of Terek.
Bryan Clay won the decathlon with 8,660 points, while Top Pappas also made the U.S. Olympic squad by finishing second with 8,517 points.
Terek will be the first former MSU athlete to compete in the Summer Games since diver Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse in 1992. Track and field events for the Olympic Games will be held Aug. 20-29 in Athens, Greece.
