Filip is first U.S. decathlete since Harlan in 2006-07 to win multiple titles, leading American podium sweep

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Scott Filip had won the Pan American Combined Events Cup before, but this title took on greater significance Wednesday for the American decathlete competing at Terry Fox Athletic Facility in Ottawa.

“It’s my fourth (decathlon) this year and my body is a little shot, but there is no way I’d pass up an opportunity to represent my country, especially on the Fourth of July,” said Filip, a three-time All-American at Rice, who prevailed with 7,643 points.

“These two days were pretty good. Not a personal-best performance, it was very up and down and a really testing decathlon for me.”

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Although the event also served as the Canadian Combined Events Championship, it was an American sweep of the podium for the Pan American Combined Events Cup, the first time the U.S. captured the top three spots since 2006.

Mitch Modin, a four-time All-American at Oregon, took second with 7,495 points and Jack Flood – a former NCAA Division 3 decathlon champion at SUNY Cortland – finished third with 7,376 points.

New Zealand’s Max Attwell was fourth with 7,055 points and Christopher Robertson secured the Canadian national title, placing fifth with 7,040 points.

Although Filip was outscored by Modin in three consecutive events Wednesday after building his advantage to more than 200 points following the 110-meter hurdles, it was a lifetime-best throw of 188-7 (57.50m) on his first attempt in the javelin that gave him a cushion of more than 100 points entering the 800.

Filip, who became the first American decathlete since Ryan Harlan in 2006-07 to win multiple Pan American Combined Events Cup titles, cruised to a 12th-place finish in the 800 in 5:01.24, with Modin finishing 13th in 5:03.58.

“Ultimately in every decathlon, you want to have a really big event and try to minimize anything that could go incredibly wrong,” Filip said. “This year I’ve been pretty consistent, but the best thing about this competition was my javelin. I feel like it was a long-time coming, but it was really good to be able to put it together in a meet, so that’s the one highlight that I’m super excited about.”

Filip won the 2016 title in Ottawa with 7,726 points and represented the U.S. in the Thorpe Cup in Germany last year with a fourth-place finish by accumulating 7,632 points. His personal best remains 7,915 from last year’s Texas Relays.

Filip amassed more than 7,600 points in all four decathlons this year, including a Conference USA title May 10-11 with 7,702 in Houston, before placing fifth June 6-7 with 7,803 at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

“I love being out here competing with these guys and being back out here in Terry Fox and Ottawa,” Filip said. “I’m going to take a long offseason over the summer, then come back and maybe train for some USA Indoor competition, but ultimately set my sights on U.S. Outdoor Championships next summer, so I’m pretty happy with where I am right now.”