Bougard's total score of 4,760 is the second-highest score ever by an American athlete.
Former Bulldog Erica Bougard Wins USATF National Pentathlon Championship
February 19, 2018 | Track & Field
STARKVILLE, Miss. – With personal bests in three events and the best overall score of her career, former Mississippi State athlete Erica Bougard claimed the pentathlon crown for the second consecutive year at the USATF National Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, over the weekend.
Bougard finished with 4,760 points, the second-highest score ever by an American athlete. The American record is 4,805 points.
"I came into this meet with one goal and that was to break the American record in the pentathlon," she said. "I didn't reach my goal, but with four new personal bests in the hurdles, high jump, shot put and my overall score, I was really satisfied with my performance."
In her time in Starkville, the Byhalia, Mississippi, native was named the 2012 SEC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year and medaled at the SEC Championships in the indoor pentathlon all four years, winning the event twice. She claimed an individual national championship in the event in 2013 and took second at nationals in 2014 and 2015.
Bougard still holds the school record in the indoor pentathlon and the 60m hurdles along with the outdoor heptathlon record. She was also part of the outdoor-school-record-holding 4x400m relay team in 2015.
From the start, Bougard led the way, winning the first event, the 60m hurdles with a new American pentathlon record of 7.98. She followed that performance by clearing 1.89m (6-2.25) in the high jump to win that event and take a commanding lead.
"I felt great coming into the meet, so I took that energy and applied it to my performance," Bougard said.
She finished second in the shot put with a toss of 12.76m (41-10.5) but retained control of first place in the overall score with a lead of over 200 points. Bougard also took second in the long jump with a leap of 6.20m (20-4.25).
"Shot put is one of the events I struggled with the most," she said. "To set a new personal best in that was exciting for me."
Leading the overall score heading into the final event, Bougard needed to finish the 800m in 2:10.62 to claim the American pentathlon record but came up just short with a time of 2:13.77. She still won the 800m by nearly two seconds to win the pentathlon with 4,760 total points.
Bougard will now turn her focus to England and the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, beginning on March 1.
For more information on the MSU track and field team, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching @HailStateTF. You can also find all access coverage on SnapChat by searching 'HailStateSnap'.
Bougard finished with 4,760 points, the second-highest score ever by an American athlete. The American record is 4,805 points.
"I came into this meet with one goal and that was to break the American record in the pentathlon," she said. "I didn't reach my goal, but with four new personal bests in the hurdles, high jump, shot put and my overall score, I was really satisfied with my performance."
In her time in Starkville, the Byhalia, Mississippi, native was named the 2012 SEC Freshman Field Athlete of the Year and medaled at the SEC Championships in the indoor pentathlon all four years, winning the event twice. She claimed an individual national championship in the event in 2013 and took second at nationals in 2014 and 2015.
Bougard still holds the school record in the indoor pentathlon and the 60m hurdles along with the outdoor heptathlon record. She was also part of the outdoor-school-record-holding 4x400m relay team in 2015.
From the start, Bougard led the way, winning the first event, the 60m hurdles with a new American pentathlon record of 7.98. She followed that performance by clearing 1.89m (6-2.25) in the high jump to win that event and take a commanding lead.
"I felt great coming into the meet, so I took that energy and applied it to my performance," Bougard said.
She finished second in the shot put with a toss of 12.76m (41-10.5) but retained control of first place in the overall score with a lead of over 200 points. Bougard also took second in the long jump with a leap of 6.20m (20-4.25).
"Shot put is one of the events I struggled with the most," she said. "To set a new personal best in that was exciting for me."
Leading the overall score heading into the final event, Bougard needed to finish the 800m in 2:10.62 to claim the American pentathlon record but came up just short with a time of 2:13.77. She still won the 800m by nearly two seconds to win the pentathlon with 4,760 total points.
Bougard will now turn her focus to England and the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, beginning on March 1.
For more information on the MSU track and field team, follow the program on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching @HailStateTF. You can also find all access coverage on SnapChat by searching 'HailStateSnap'.
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