Bryan Clay

Infobox athlete biography
athletename = Bryan Clay


fullname = Bryan Ezra Tsumoru Clay
dateofbirth = birth date and age|mf=yes|1980|1|3
cityofbirth = Austin, Texas
countryofbirth = United States
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Bryan Ezra Tsumoru Clay (born January 3, 1980) is an American decathlete. He is the reigning Olympic champion and was also World champion in 2005.

Biography

Clay was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Hawaii. He is biracial. His mother, Michele Ishimoto, was a Japanese immigrant to America. His father, Greg Clay, was African American.cite news |accessdate=2008-08-23
url= http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=148/bio/
title=Bryan Clay Profile & Bio
date=August 8, 2008
work=2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
publisher= NBC] His parents divorced when he was in elementary school and he was raised primarily by his mother.

He graduated from James B. Castle High School (Kaneohe, Hawaii) in 1998.

Clay is married to Sarah Smith. They have a son, Jacob, and a daughter Katherine (Kate).cite video |people= Bryan Clay|year2= 2003|title= Bryan Clay ’03|url= http://www.apu.edu/stories/bclay/|format= |medium= Documentary|publisher= Azusa Pacific University|accessdate=2008-08-24] Clay believes that a balance of mental, physical, and emotional health will help him in athletic competition.Clay is a devout Christian. [ [http://www.bryanclay.com/clay/about] ]

On September 4, 2008, he spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of John McCain's presidential campaign [ [http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/09/05/news/story05.html] ]

Athletic career

He competed in track and field in high school, during which time he was coached by Dacre Bowen and Martin Hee. He then attended Azusa Pacific University, an Evangelical Christian college near Los Angeles, California, where he competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and was coached by Kevin Reid, who still coaches him. Clay still trains at Azusa Pacific University. Clay decided to compete in the decathlon after persuasion from Olympian Chris Huffins.cite news |first= Nigel|last= Hunt|coauthors= Neil Maidment|title= FACTBOX: Gold medalist Bryan Clay|url= http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSPEK18089420080822|publisher= Reuters|date= 2008-08-22|accessdate=2008-08-24]

Clay won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, and finished first at the 2005 World Championships. He was unable to compete in the 2007 World Championships due to injuries. [cite news |first= Dave|last= Sheinin|authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Decathlon champ from USA world's greatest athlete|url= http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/08236/906538-123.stm|publisher= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date= 2008-08-23|accessdate=2008-08-24]

Clay won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in the decathlon. [cite news |first= Alan|last= Abrahamson|title= Clay achin' but brings home gold|url= http://www.nbcolympics.com/trackandfield/news/newsid=241924.html#clay+achin+brings+home+gold|work= Track & Field|publisher= NBC|date= 2008-08-23|accessdate=2008-08-23] [cite news |author= Associated Press|authorlink= Associated Press|title= Clay wins gold in Olympic decathlon|url= http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26345555|publisher= MSNBC|date= 2008-08-23|accessdate=2008-08-23] His victory margin of 240 points in the 2008 Beijing Olympics was the largest since 1972. [cite news |first= Martyn |last= Herman|title= Classy Clay romps to decathlon gold|url= http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSPEK17863220080822|publisher= Reuters|date= 2008-08-22|accessdate=2008-08-24] The Olympic decathlon champion is sometimes referred to as the "world's greatest all-around athlete" and prior to the Olympics, Clay was tested by SPARQ to establish his SPARQ Rating across a number of different sports. The test is meant to measure sport-specific athleticism and in the football test Clay recorded a score of 130.40, the highest ever recorded. By comparison, Reggie Bush scored a 93.38 on the popular test. [ [http://viewer.zmags.com/showmag.php?mid=fgpww&pageid=79#/page80/ SPARQ Magazine: Is Brian Clay the world's greatest athlete?] ]

He is one of two Olympians featured on a special edition post-Beijing Olympics Wheaties cereal box; the other was gymnast Nastia Lukin. [ [http://www.kitv.com/news/17325996/detail.html Bryan Clay On Special Edition Wheaties, KITV-Honolulu, August 28, 2008] ] Clay has a signature clothing line called Angry Genes. His signature line consists of cutting edge styles with international appeal, complemented by tailored classic pieces that maintain conservative allure. His line was first featured while he was a guest on David Letterman in 2008.Fact|date=September 2008

Achievements

*Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's decathlon - gold medal
*2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships - gold medal
*2005 World Championships in Athletics - gold medal
*Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's decathlon - silver medal
*2004 World Indoor Championships - silver medal

Personal best

*100m - 10.36
*200m - 21.34
*400m - 47.78
*110m hurdles - 13.74
*1500m - 4:38.93
*long jump - 7.96
*high jump - 2.10
*pole vault - 5.15
*shot put - 16.27
*discus throw - 55.87 (world decathlon best)
*javelin throw - 72.00
*60m - 6.65
*60m hurdles - 7.77
*1000m - 2:49.41
*decathlon - 8832
*heptathlon - 6371

ee also

*List of Olympic decathlon medalists

References

External links

* [http://www.bryanclay.com Bryan Clay's Official Website]
* [http://trackfield.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/111 Clay at TrackField.org]
* [http://www.spikesmag.com/blogs/profiles/bryanclay.aspx Read Bryan Clay's exclusive blog at spikesmag.com]
* [http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2007/06/podcast-58-teleconference-interview-with-decathlete-world-champion-bryan-clay/ Teleconference interview with decathlete world-champion Bryan Clay prior to the 2007 USATF Outdoor Track & Field Championships]
* [http://www.apu.edu/stories/bclay/ Video: APU Life on Film featuring Clay]