GOETZIS, Austria -- World champion Tom Pappas was third in
the decathlon standings Saturday after the first day of the Hypo
Meeting, behind first-place Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic.
Sweden's Carolina Kluft dominated the heptathlon.
At the first big decathlon event of the season, Sebrle totaled
4,536 points and led 2003 world bronze medalist Dmitriy Karpov of
Kazakhstan by 10.
Pappas, a three-time U.S. champion, won the high jump and was
third overall with 4,499 points. Teammate Stephen Harris won the
400 meters and was next with 4,400.
Sebrle, who is going for his fourth straight win in Goetzis,
took the long jump and the shot put. Three years after setting a
world record with 9,026 points in this Austrian village, Sebrle
improved his personal best to 53 feet, 2} inches in the shot put.
Kluft, the world and defending Goetzis champion, has 4,041
points to lead the heptathlon.
The Swede, who was voted European female track and field athlete
of 2003, hopes to break Russian Larissa Nikitina's European record
of 7,007 points.
"But it will be very difficult, because I am still in pain
following my leg injury in Budapest," Kluft said, referring to her
off-balance effort in the long jump finals at the world indoor
championships in March.
Breaking the record seems to be Kluft's only challenge.
Second-placed Nataliya Dobrynska of Ukraine is 269 points behind.
Britain's Kelly Sotherton is third with 3,749 points, while 2000
Olympic silver medalist Yelena Prokhorova had a bad first day and
placed 10th with 3,609.