Texas A&M’s Lindon Victor Breaks Collegiate Decathlon Record

AUSTIN, Texas – Move over, Trey Hardee.

There is a new sheriff in town – and his name is Lindon Victor.

For nearly 11 years, Hardee held the collegiate decathlon record of 8465 points.

Then one week shy of the standard’s 11th anniversary, Victor reduced it to dust.

Victor totaled 8472 points over the span of two days at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and put his name atop the collegiate outdoor record book when it comes to the most demanding event. It’s only fitting Victor broke the record at the same meet Hardee set the standard in 2006.

The first day appeared to be a cakewalk for Victor as he amassed 4516 points at Mike A. Myers Stadium. That put him well ahead of Hardee’s record pace of 4402 points 11 years ago.

Day 2 proved to be a bit tougher – and a roller coaster – for the Texas A&M senior.

Victor opened with a time of 14.94 in the 110 hurdles, which added 857 points to his tally. That put Victor at 5373 points, 26 points behind where Hardee stood 11 years before after his mark of 13.83.

A rough start to the discus throw left Victor behind the 8-ball. Victor fouled twice and needed a big mark on his final attempt to have any chance of flirting with the record. With ice in his veins, Victor flung the discus 53.00m (173-11) and increased his total by 933 points. That put him 73 points up on Hardee with three events to go.

A poor performance in the pole vault dropped Victor 197 points behind Hardee’s record pace. Victor only managed to clear 4.30m (14-1¼) and missed on all three attempts at 4.40m (14-5¼). Hardee pushed the bar to 5.20m (17-0¾) back in 2006.

Victor made up some ground in the javelin throw thanks to a heave of 66.69m (218-9). Hardee’s best throw at the 2006 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays was 60.00m (196-10). That pushed Victor’s total to 7847 points compared to 7943 by Hardee 11 years earlier.

Whether or not Victor would break Hardee’s record came down to his effort in the 1500. If Victor ran 4:50.02 or better, the record would be his – and his alone. Victor crossed the finish line in 4:48.89 and with that, there was a new standard bearer in the decathlon.

The collegiate decathlon record doesn’t fall that often. Since 1986, it only changed hands three times: Washington’s Mike Ramos held it from 1986 until 1999 with his 8322-point total; Tennessee’s Tom Pappas took the crown from 1999 to 2006 with his score of 8463; and Hardee went just two points better than Pappas at 8465 in 2006.

Now, it belongs to Victor.