Heptathlon Results

GRINNELL, Iowa - Christopher Newport University junior Richard Roethel is the NATIONAL CHAMPION in the men's heptathlon with a score of 5,434 after winning five of the seven events. Roethel, competing in the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships at Grinnell College, is the first national champion in the event as this is the first year the heptathlon is in the DIII program of championship events. 

The heptathlon events were split into two days of competition with the 60m, long jump, shot put and high jump all taking place on Friday. The 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1,000m followed on Saturday. At the end of the first day of competition, Roethel had won all four events, compiling 3,207 points and was 301 points ahead of the next athlete.

He finished up the second day of events with a total of 5,434 points, 321 points ahead of Wisconsin-Stout's Daniel Drewek. 

"Rich put together two great days of competition," said head coach Tyler Wingard. "He had a great start to the day on Friday with a quarter-second PR in the 60m and just kept the momentum going all day." 

Roethel started off with a win the 60m dash on Friday coming in at a personal record 7.09 for 851 points. The time shaved .25 seconds off of his previous best. He followed that up with a win in the long jump for 807 points. His leap of 6.97m (22-10.50) was another personal record and earned him a sixth place spot on the program's all-time list.

Roethel continued his streak with a win in the shot put for 643 points. His 12.61m (41-4.5) was a personal heptathlon best in the event. Roethel finished his day with another big win in the high jump. His 2.11m (6-11.0) jump earned him first place and 906 points. The score was another personal record and improves is second on the program's all-time list.

After one of the most exciting days in recent CNU Track and Field history, Roethel returned this morning with another impressive performance. This time winning the 60m hurdles for his fifth victory in as many events in the heptathlon. He came in at 8.45 for 872 points.

Roethel's impressive meet finally met with an obstacle when his pole broke in the pole vault, but he was still able to clear 4.10m (13-5.25) for a sixth place finish and 645 points.

"He recovered really well form the pole vault to get a clearance and secure the overall win," said Wingard. "He had to run the last event of the heptathlon, the 1000m, in between jumps of the open High Jump competition."

Roethel had a 299 points lead heading into the 1000m. He was able to extend his lead even further with a time of 2:55.45 for 710 points and a ninth place finish.

Roethel's score of 5,434 points is 420 points more than his previous personal best set earlier this season. 

This is just the fourth national champion for the men's track team in program history and the first since 2001 when Damon Talley won the long jump during the outdoor season. Ed Milling won the 55m in 1990 indoor season and David Bullock won the triple jump during the 1995 indoor season. 

After the exciting win in the heptathlon, Roethel competed in the high jump, his second event of the Championships. He cleared 2.08m (6-9.75) for a third place finish earning All-American honors, the fifth of his career. 

Christopher Newport boasts 65 national champions and 481 All-Americans in the combined men's and women's track and field history, including 12 team titles.