Agence France-Presse NEW YORK (February 19, 2002 07:32 PM EST) - Dan O'Brien, America's three-time decathlon world champion, will return to competition at the Mt. SAC Relays in California on April 21, his first decathlon competition in four years.
"Contrary to what has been written, I've never really said I was retiring," O'Brien said. "I was unfortunate these last couple of years each time I tried to come back to the top," he said. "I hope this time I won't be bothered by any more injuries so I can accomplish a few good things before I retire." While O'Brien has competed in a handful of scattered races, the 1996 Olympic champion hasn't competed in a decathlon since his victory at the 1998 Goodwill Games. The 35-year-old said he wanted to surpass 9,000 points at the U.S. championships next June. "It's possible. It has always has been one of my goals in my career. I'm pretty confident because you think the decathlon is wide open. " O'Brien established the world record at 8,891 points in September 1992 in Talence, France. That mark was broken by Czech Thomas Dvorak with a total of 8,994 in 1999, and Czech Roman Sebrle broke the 9,000-point barrier with 9,026 in 2001. As well as the Mt. SAC Relays, O'Brien also is planning to compete at the Modesto Relays on May 5 and the Prefontaine Classic Grand Prix meeting in Eugene, Ore., on May 26 and the national championships which start in Stanford, Calif., on June 21.
