Nickles Shatters School Heptathlon Record at Golden Flash Gala

Ohio State junior sets PRs in five events for a first-place score of 5602

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Junior Heath Nickles put on a spectacular show at the Kent State Golden Flash Gala Saturday in Kent, Ohio, capturing first place in the heptathlon with a school and Kent State Field House record-score of 5602.
 
Nickles, the defending Big Ten outdoor champion in the event, posted PRs in five of seven events: pole vault (5.30m/17-4.50), shot put (13.76m/45-1.75), 60m hurdles (8.41), high jump (1.93m/6-4) and 60m dash (7.32). The first place showing in the pole vault was the second-best indoor mark in school history and would have been the second-best mark in the Big Ten for the entire 2011 season.
 
Sophomore Cody Kunze placed fourth overall with a personal-best score of 5117, while freshman Brady Gelvin (4260 points) was 14th in his Buckeye debut.
 
In the pole vault, defending Big Ten outdoor champion Cody Marshall finished third, tying his PR of 5.05m (16-6.75), while freshman Tyler Borton (4.45m/14-7.25) took seventh overall as an unattached competitor. Shane Shockey, also competing unattached, cleared the bar at 5.15m (16-10.75) for first place.