Jamaica's Maurice Smith breaks Decathlon record in Ratingen (0)

Jamaica's multi-athlete Maurice Smith continued his great form this season with another impressive performance in the Decathlon, this time it was at the "International Mehrkampf-Meeting", held in Ratingen, Germany, last weekend.

At the meeting, which serves as part of IAAF World Combined Events Challenge, Smith reached another milestone in his exciting career when he set another area and national record in finishing second with a score of 8349 points.

His performance improved the 8269 score he set at the two-day Hypobank meeting in Goetzis, Austria, in May.

The Commonwealth Games silver medallist got off to a brilliant start, clocking 10.69sec (100m) 7.51m (LJ) and 16.07m (SP) in taking the lead after the first three events.

However, he was unable to maintain the lead and fell short at the end by 65-points, beaten by Olympic bronze medallist Dmitri, who collected 8414-points.

Despite his defeat, the Jamaican was delighted with his performance, especially after improving his personal and nation's best and promised to improve on his weak areas of the event, which are evidently the Javelin Throw and the Pole Vault.

"I am very happy; it was a great atmosphere here. I made my best mark in Götzis, and now again," said Smith, who converted from a being a long jumper to a multi-athlete shortly after his final year in high school.

"I will improve more and more," added Smith, who had been staying in Ratingen with a local family.

Smith will next compete at the NACAC Combined Events Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico in August and he's already looking forward to improving his own mark.

"My next Decathlon will be in Puerto Rico in August and my next goal is to make a new national record again," he said, adding that the atmosphere was so good in Ratingen it "felt like I was at home."

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