Rhonemus Battles Through Injury To Finish 8th At MIAC Decathlon
Wade Rhonemus competed in all five events on Day 2 of the MIAC decathlon with a hamstring injury and finished eighth in the 18-competitor field.
NORTHFIELD, Minn. (5/06/22)---In one of the gutsiest performances of the spring, junior Wade Rhonemus, who qualified for the NCAA National Indoor Meet in the heptathlon, competed in all five events on Day 2 of the MIAC decathlon with a hamstring injury. Rhonemus gingerly made his way through the 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meters, and finished eighth in the 18-competitor field.
Rhonemus had 3,021 points after the first five events on Thursday and then scored 2,387 points on Friday to finish with 5,408 total points. That mark is almost 400 points ahead of the score he posted to qualify for this year's conference decathlon.
Not surprisingly, Rhonemus' two top scoring events came on the first day of competition. He scored 697 points in the 100-meter dash by running a time of 11.77. He then finished off Day 1 with the only other 650-plus point total. He clocked a 52.71 in the 400 meters which was good for 694 points.
Rhonemus' top event on the second day came in the event he competes in during the other part of team meets – the pole vault. Rhonemus was able to muster up the strength to clear 13-01.50 in the pole vault which got him 617 points. His finishing height was the second best among the decathlon competitors.
Senior Zach Paustian also started in the decathlon, but was forced to withdraw because of an injury after the second event.
2022 MIAC Decathlon Final Scores
1. Maguire Petersen, SJU – 6,677
2. Stephen Peper, St. Olaf – 6,623
3. Lukas Walton, Bethel – 6,394
4. Ian Mortensen, Carleton – 6,056
5. Demetri Lord, St. Olaf – 6,022
6. Nick Edwards, St. Olaf – 5,907
7. Max Lelwica, SJU – 5,549
8. Wade Rhonemus, Concordia – 5,408
9. Micah, Smith – 5,358
10. Andrew Cogley, St. Olaf – 5,049
11. Sam Schulze, Gustavus – 4,903
12. Woody Rian, St. Olaf – 4,859
13. Layton Borst, St. Olaf – 4,828
14. Brandon Kallstrom, Bethel – 4,758
15. Carter Kienholz, Hamline – 4,690
16. Zach Paustian, Concordia – DNF
17. Abe Schegel, Bethel – DNF
18. Anthony Thurk, SJU - DNF