EUGENE, Ore. – Brayden Richards wrapped up his standout freshman season with a notable 18th-place finish in the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held on June 12. This event took place in Eugene, Oregon, where Richards became the first athlete in 14 years to represent Air Force in the decathlon at this prestigious national meet.
Richards scored a total of 7488 points, which earned him Honorable Mention All-America honors. Over the course of the championship, the first-year Falcon achieved two personal bests and recorded three top-10 scores. On the final day of competition, he racked up 3700 points across the last five events, showcasing his versatility and skill.
Among the highlights of his performance was the javelin event, where Richards shone brightly. He became one of only three athletes to throw over 200 feet, achieving a distance of 201’2″ (61.32 meters) and claiming 758 points for his effort.
Richards also excelled in the pole vault and discus throw, tying for fifth in the pole vault with a height of 15’5½” (4.71 meters) for an impressive 822-point score. In the discus, he improved his personal best by over three feet, landing at 135’1″ (41.17 meters) which contributed another 688 points to his total, marking it as the ninth-highest score in that event.
To complete his impressive day, he achieved an 820-point performance with a time of 15.25 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles, and he rounded off his competition with a career-best time of 4:51.13 in the 1500-meter run, adding another 612 points to his final tally. Notably, Richards stood out as one of only three freshmen in the entire 24-man field.
The championship will conclude tomorrow, June 13, when junior Texas Tanner represents the Falcons in the discus throw, scheduled for 2:15 p.m. PT, as the team looks to continue their strong showing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
