March 9, 2012

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NAMPA, Idaho -- Japheth Cato’s strong start has him poised for an even stronger finish.

The Wisconsin sophomore wasted little time asserting himself in the heptathlon at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships and stands in third place after the first day of competition, just 24 points off the lead.

Cato posted the best opening day of his career, rolling up 3,333 points over the course of the four events contested Friday. He trails only Gray Horn of Florida, who tallied a score of 3,357 points, and hometown favorite Kurt Felix of Boise State, who amassed a total of 3,344 competing in the familiar surroundings of Jacksons Track.

“I had a good start today,” Cato said. “It actually started rough because I didn’t really have a good warmup, but it was a really good start.

“Everything is going well.”

His teammate, senior David Grzesiak, is 15th after the first day after scoring 2,939 points.

Cato opened with a strong run in the 60 meters, finishing just off his personal-best time in 7.08 seconds. His best-ever mark in a heptathlon long jump followed, as he leapt 24 feet, 11 3/4 inches -- just one inch off his lifetime-best mark.

He threw 41-1 3/4 in the shot put before wrapping things up with a great showing in the high jump that saw him clear 6-9 3/4. Cato was one of three competitors who took attempts at what would have been a meet record-tying 6-11, narrowly missing on his first try.

“It’s all about taking it one event at a time,” Cato said. “I knew high jump could be big for me and there were a lot of points if I could jump high.”

The shot put -- easily Cato’s weakest event in the seven-discipline event -- dropped him to seventh in the overall standings. His effort in the high jump, however, brought him right back into contention.

“I’m right where I want to be,” Cato said. “If I just go out there and do what I know I can do, I will finish somewhere I’ll be very happy with.”

Now, only three events separate Cato from a shot at the national title. Two of those stack up in Cato’s favor -- he’s strong in both the 60 hurdles and the pole vault. He’s one of just three in the field to have run under 8.00 in the hurdles, and his personal-best mark of 17-0 3/4 in the pole vault is tied for second-best of any competitor in the field.

Still, those are two of the most unforgiving events in the heptathlon. The margin for error in either is small, something Cato is very much aware of.

“Right now, I’m just thinking about the hurdles,” he said. “I want to run what I’ve been running this year, from 8-flat to 7.88, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

The Badgers also competed in the distance medley relay Friday, with the foursome of Zach Mellon, Aaron Thompson, Austin Mudd and Alex Hatz finishing ninth in a time of 9 minutes, 51.25 seconds.
The championships continue Saturday with the final three events of the heptathlon beginning at 11:30 a.m. (CT)