Reed McFadden, standout Lander Valley High School track athlete, is continuing his extraordinary career as a Princeton Tiger. McFadden, a three-event winner for the Tigers at the 2024 Class 3-A state track championships, has taken his versatility to a new level as a decathlete.
McFadden won the 110-meter high hurdles, the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, and the pole vault as a high school athlete. Add in his experience as a cross-country runner, and he was the perfect combination of speed, endurance, and power that the decathlon requires.
He took that versatility with a track and field scholarship to Princeton University.
McFadden finished fourth in the Ivy League Track Championships last month, tallying 6425 points, pacing the Princeton Tigers’ multi-event performances.
Just last weekend, he competed in the United States Track and Field Under 20 National Championships at historic Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.
Competing against the best multi-event athletes in the nation, McFadden finished fourth with a personal best of 6597 points.
In the decathlon, each event performance is rated on a point system. The higher you jump or vault, the farther you throw and the faster you run generates more points.
McFadden’s forte is on the track and in the pole vault.
He cleared 14-5.25, a personal best, bettering his state championship high school vault of 14-3 set a year ago.
His best event was the 110-meter high hurdles. The college high hurdles are set at 42 inches, three inches more than high school standards, but for the Under 20 meet, they ran the event at 39. McFadden clocked 14.84, scoring 869 points. His 100-meter dash time of 11.33 generated 789 points, and his 1500-meter run tallied 754.
Athletes vary greatly in the decathlon, with some more attuned to power, as in the shot, discus, 100-meter dash, and javelin, and others more aligned with speed and speed over distance. Each athlete has strengths and weaknesses.
McFadden didn’t score as well in the shot, discus, and javelin, but still generated 561, 482, and 473 points, respectively.
Princeton has a solid track program with both men and women winning Ivy League crowns.
USATF U-20 National Championships
Reed McFadden
100 Meter Dash: 11.33
400 Meter Dash: 51.58
1500 Meter Run: 4:28.57
110 Meter High Hurdles (39 inches): 14.84
Shot Put (12 pound): 36-11
Discus (1.6KG) 101-5
Javelin (800g) 138-2
High Jump: 6-0.75
Pole Vault: 14-5.25
Long Jump: 18-9
Points: 6597