Rio Dream 1024x531 1 1024x531 1 1024x531 1Grenadian brothers, Kurt Felix and Lindon Victor, finished 9th and 16th, respectively, in the men’s decathlon which had its final day (Friday, August 19) here in Rio. Felix completed the ten-event discipline with 8323 points while the younger sibling, Victor, tallied 7998 points.

The mark is a new personal best of Kurt improving on his 8302 total he achieved in his eighth place finish at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China. The 28 year old ’s lifetime best performance was bolstered by a personal best in the javelin with a throw of 69.92m.

American Ashton Eaton of the United States successfully defended his Olympic gold medal in the decathlon on Thursday night. Games record. Kevin Mayer of France was second with 8834 and Damian Warner of Canada, third with 8666.

Victor was short of his national record of 8446, which he set earlier this year and had the best discus throw in the event 53.24m. Felix was 12th after the first event (100m) and improved to eighth after the shot put and long jump. The 2015 Pan American Games silver medallist ended the first day in eighth spot with 4290 points with Victor in 18th (4125). Victor briefly dropped to 12th after the pole vault but his performance in the javelin, moved him back up to ninth.

Felix was happy on his ninth placing. “It was a good experience. I was hoping to do better than I did but, I was happy to come here, compete and actually finish. My first day is usually better but on the second day I finished pretty strong in the last three events.”

On his personal best performance in the javelin, he added that he was happy to be back at his best in that discipline. “It is a good feeling.”

Victor said he competed with an injury, which he sustained two weeks before the event. “I hurt my groin a week before and it bothered me. I was just happy I got to finish.” He added that the experience gained from competing at his first Olympic Games, was invaluable. “It was different to college. It has helped me grow as an athlete to become the athlete I want to be in the future.”

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Clayton Clarke is a freelance track and field journalist since 2005. He is a former athlete and an IAAF Level III coach (Sprints & Hurdles). He has been a writer with Track Alerts since its inception in 2009. He worked with several media houses (radio, tv, newspaper, website) in Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St. Kitts Nevis and the Bahamas. The Tobago native has covered the Carifta Games since 2005, the 2010 Commonwealth Games, 2011 World Athletic Championships and numerous local and regional track and field events.. Though track and field is his passion and main interest, he has served as media liaison with numerous sporting bodies in T&T and in particular in Tobago, namely cycling, chess, football, beach soccer, taekwondo, rugby, swimming, tennis and beach volleyball.

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