Former Duke standout Marsh produces best opening-day performance of her career with 3,691 points in heptathlon, as U.S. holds top four spots; Pitt’s Wolter is top decathlon competitor for Germany at 4,408 points, but Iowa’s West in the hunt for back-to-back titles for Americans

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The United States placed itself in a favorable position Saturday to achieve a team sweep in Germany for the first time in Thorpe Cup history, leading both competitions following four events in the heptathlon and at the midway point of the decathlon at Georg-Gaßmann Stadium in Marburg.

The American heptathletes hold a commanding advantage of 10,708 to 9,833 points based on the performances of each country’s top three competitors, looking to secure another victory after having its run of 10 consecutive triumphs halted last year in Texas.

The U.S. decathletes are leading by a 20,840 to 20,101 margin, including the marks of the top five performers from each nation, attempting to prevail for the first time since 2016 in Arkansas.

Erin Marsh, 24, produced the strongest opening day of her career in the women’s heptathlon for the Americans, leading with 3,691 points.

The Duke graduate and former All-American ran 13.34 in the 100-meter hurdles to place second, then prevailed in the high jump with a 5-8.50 (1.74m) clearance, delivered a personal-best 44-3.25 (13.49m) in the shot put to finish second and also took runner-up in the 200 meters in 24.28 seconds.

Michelle Atherley, a Miami (Florida) graduate and the reigning NACAC Combined Events winner, is second overall for the U.S. with 3,623 points.

Atherley, 27, won the 100 hurdles in 13.32, cleared 5-7.25 (1.71m) in the high jump, achieved a mark of 42-1.50 (12.84m) in the shot put and won the 200 in 24.20.

Hope Bender, a UC Santa Barbara graduate and former All-American, and Kennesaw State alumni and All-America honoree Jordan Gray both have 3,394 points for the Americans, with recent Colorado State graduate and All-American Lexie Keller accumulating 3,198 points.

Germany is led by Serina Reidel with 3,361 points, Anna-Lena Obermaier – last year’s runner-up at St. Mark’s School in Dallas – amassing 3,250 points and Mareike Rösing scoring 3,222 points.

Felix Wolter, an All-American at Pitt, is the overall decathlon leader for Germany with 4,408 points.

Wolter, 25, was fourth in the 100-meter dash at 10.90, he triumphed in the long jump with a wind-legal 26-3.50 (8.01m), earned eighth in the shot put with a mark of 43-10.75 (13.38m), cleared 6-7.50 (2.02m) in the high jump to take third and was runner-up in the 400 meters in 47.16.

Iowa All-American Austin West, 23, led the way for the Americans with 4,333 points, clocking 10.86 in the 100, producing a leap of 24-3.50 (7.40m) in the long jump, achieving a personal-best 47-0.75 (14.34m) in the shot put, clearing 6-7.50 in the high jump and winning the 400 in 46.97.

West emerged victorious at last year’s event with 8,062 points and is looking to become the first repeat decathlon champion in Thorpe Cup history.

Sam Black, an NCAA Division 2 champion at Saginaw Valley State, has 4,229 points for the Americans, with 2019 U.S. champion Devon Williams accumulating 4,191 points, Michigan State’s Heath Baldwin at 4,066 points and former Houston Christian standout Denim Rogers amassing 4,021 points.

Yannik Knobloch has 4,108 points for the Germans, with Nico Beckers contributing 4,024 points, Fred Isaac Fleurison scoring 3,863 points and Niklas Tuschling at 3,698 points.

Harrison Williams, the reigning U.S. decathlon champion, as well as German standout Niklas Kaul and Grenada’s star Lindon Victor all competed unattached in select events in preparation for the Aug. 25-26 schedule at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Chari Hawkins, who will represent the Americans in the heptathlon at Worlds, also competed unattached Saturday after winning last year’s Thorpe Cup with 6,152 points.