Jason Dunn's long-awaited Chico State decathlon debut was a smashing success. The Chico State junior, and Wildcat of the Week, posted an NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark of 7,029 points at the 31st annual Chico Multi Event Classic – a mark that will almost certainly earn him a spot on the line at the NCAA Championships this May.
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That month will mark the three-year anniversary of the last decathlon Dunn completed before Friday.
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Dunn finished second at the California Community College Track & Field Championships in 2013. But he redshirted the following year because he was also playing football at Sacramento City College. Last season, various ailments prohibited from competing.
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So Friday, when Dunn crossed the line in the last of 10 grueling events over two days – the 1,500 meters – the accomplishment was noteworthy. The fact that only 10 Wildcats have posted a higher score, and that it's likely enough to get him to the NCAA Championships, were the cherries on top.
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In the meantime, Dunn also delivered an NCAA Championship Provisional mark in the long jump with a leap of 7.22 meters. In all, he notched personal records in five of the 10 events.
