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.
That month will mark the three-year anniversary of the last decathlon Dunn completed before Friday.
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.
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.
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.
