The print., May 13, 1981, Page 7, Image 7

^Decathlon success worth the work for Holmes
“I’m a much more disciplin­
ed athlete now. I have learned
sacrificing my body toward the
idea of pain for gain,” stated
decathlete Jim Holmes.
Story and photos
by
Sue Hanneman
For Holmes it is paying off,
as he totaled up 7,041 points in
the recent Oregon Community
College Athletic Association
(OCCAA) conference and
regional track championships
held at Linn-Benton Com­
munity College.
The point total gives him the
second best score in the
decathlon in the United States
this year. Holmes marks in the
10-event decathlon are as
follows:
11.6 in the
100-meters, 20’8” for the long
jump, 38’9” in the shot put,
6’l”in the high jump, 52.1 in
the 400-meters, 15.5 in the
First comes the concentration (above), but once” Jim high hurdles, 125-0 for the
Holmes lets it fly, it flies (top photo). In collecting the se­ discus, 170’7” in the javelin,
cond highest decathlon score in the nation; 7041, 4:23.5 in the 1,500-meters
Holmes tossed it 170’7”.
and 14.3 in the pole vault.
In high school at Lake
Oswego, the pain and work
really didn’t seem worth it to
Holmes. But now he sees the
light, so to speak. “It’s the real
thing now, I’m not just playing
around. It means business.”
These words come at the end
of the second-place finish in the
regional championships behind
Swede Connie Silfuer from
Ricks College, who totaled
7,150 points. Holmes surpass­
ed his personal best of 6,693
, by 348 points to capture the
second-place and earn a ticket
to San Angelo, Texas, where
he will compete at the national
meet May 21-22.
Holmes, in his second year
here at Clackamas, takes on
the view that a good
decathlete requires speed,
coordination and adaptability.
“Adaptability, I believe, is my
greatest asset.” Along with
adaptability, Holmes has been,
training hard to increase his
speed and coordination.
Physically maturity, too, plays
its role in improvement. During
his high school years, Holmes
had what he termed “a boy’s
body” and although he remains
at the same height (6’2”), he
has gained 40 pounds and now
possesses the body of an adult.
To put the finishing touches
to the overall picture, Holmes
works out twice a day. He runs
and lifts weights in the morning
with a distance runner at the
College. Then he works out
again in the afternoon on in­
dividual technique events.
Being the sole Cougar
decathlete doesn’t seem to af­
fect Holmes. Although, he
does believe that working with
other decathletes would be of
benefit. Homes says he has the
self-motivation and discipline
to train on his own. “I enjoy the
stuff I do. It’s kind of fun, not
grueling like some track
events,” Holmes’ view seems
to aid him in designation and
working out the long hours
needed for the 10 events. “It’s
like playing, not working,” he
said. “I do the decathalon for
self-accomplishment toward
my goals.”
What the future has in store
for Jim Holmes he does not
quite know. Although he has
made no set plans for college,
he is considering the states of
California and Arizona. He is
waiting at this point, waiting to
see what the future may give
him.
Z“-------------------------------------------------------------
Women’s track and field
It was a fifth-place finish in the Region 18 Track and Field Championship for
the Cougar women who collected 66 points as a team behind Linn-Benton with
74, Southern Idaho, 80, Lane, 127, and Mt. Hood, 129Y2.
Individually for the Cougars, Shavon Dennis took first place in the 400-meter
at 55.5, immediately followed by teammate Sue Hanneman who ran a 56.6
second-place finish.
The Cougar relay team managed a second-place finish in the 400-meter relay
with a time of 49.1,. .*
Second place was taken by Nancy Reynolds in the 5,000-meter at 18:21.8,
as another Cougar, Jackie Beaudry, nabbed fourth at 19:08.4.
College runner Debbie Simon achieved a third-place finish in the 800-meter
event at 2:18.8, as did Cougar Carol Ziemba, heaving the shot put 37’x/2”.
College runner Beth Kokesh was fourth across the finish line in the
1,500-meter event with a time of 4:52.8.
Fifth across the finish line were Cougars Kelly Howard at 13.6 in the
100-meter, and Reynolds in the 3,000-meter at 10:39.1.
College javelin thrower Cyd McCormick gave the fifth farthest toss of the day
getting her spear 134’3”.
Men’s track and field
The Cougar men’s track team returned from Linn-Benton Community Col­
lege in Bend as the fourth best men’s track team in Region 18.
The College tracksters topped eight other teams to give Dan Martin, Larry
Psick, Jeff Johnson and Daniel West the opportunity to compete in the
400-meter relay at the National Junior College Athletic Association Champion­
ships on May 21 and 22 in San Angelo Texas. The Cougar relayers’ time in the
400-meter event was 42 flat for a first-place finish.
Cougars also set a new school record in the mile relay with a time of 3:16.4.
Other exceptional performances were displayed by College athletes in the
100-meter event, as the team came in second, third, fourth, and fifth. Cougars
also finished second through fourth in the 800-meters.
Some College tracksters didn’t compete in the regional meet to allow other
Cougars to gain a national berth, as did the 400-meter relay team.
Other Cougars who will be joining the relay team in national competition are
Jim Holmes in the decathalon, Jim Colgan in the steeplechase and Mike Miller
in the 800-meter event.
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Wednesday, May 13, 1981
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