For Hynes, success comes in sevens

Requiring mental and physical training for not just one, but seven separate events, the heptathlon is not so much a competition as a way of life.

Many athletes don't have the dedication it takes to compete in a heptathlon. Many do not have the burning desire needed to finish such a grueling competition. Many don't have what it takes. Junior Duane Hynes, however, does.

In fact, Hynes does not just compete, he excels. Recognized as one of the top heptathletes in the country last year, he has the potential to be even better this year.

The enormous difficulty of a heptathlon lies in the fact that it encompasses seven different events: 60m run, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault and a 1,000m run. This series is unique to indoor track, and the competition normally takes place over two days.

Since joining the track and field team his freshman year, Hynes' career has taken off with a seemingly unending string of successes. Not only did he set the school record last year with a 5,640-point performance in the heptathlon, but Hynes also held the top score in the nation for most of the season.

"To be a multiathelete, it requires a lot of time and dedication," Hynes said. "You have to be really committed. It definitely tests you as an athlete."

Hynes' career has not been totally spotless. After qualifying for the NCAA regional championships last season, he sprained his ankle during the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America championships just two weeks before the NCAAs.

"Duane did remarkably well considering the sprain really hindered him," head coach Fred Samara said. "He didn't perform as well as we would have liked, but we have very high hopes for this year."

Joining his middle school track and field team on a whim, Hynes' career began similarly to many collegiate athletes'. Despite starting at such a young age, however, Hynes only truly began to excel his junior year of high school.

"I started running track in seventh grade and I just kinda stuck with it," Hynes said. "I had a breakthrough my junior year — something just clicked — and the long jump became my best event. That was the year I started doing decathlons."

The star of his high school track team, Hynes' transition to collegiate athletics was relatively smooth, but he had to improve a few skills to compete at his current high level.

"One of Duane's weak events used to be the 1,000-meter run," Samara said. "However, since coming to Princeton, it has become one of his strengths because he has been really dedicated to training. Duane has been doing well because he is much more confident in what he is doing."

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Though he has mastered the 1,000m run, Hynes recognizes there are other aspects of his heptathlon he needs to work on.

"Throws are definitely something I struggle with," Hynes said. "Because I picked up the throwing events most recently in my career, I require a lot of extra hours of training in that area."

While Hynes had never competed in the heptathalon before coming to Princeton, Samara immediately recognized his potential.

"I think the most important thing I look for in a multiathlete is a tremendous amount of dedication and desire," Samara said. "A lot of kids would like to do multi, but I don't let them. I thought Duane had what it took."

Clearly, Samara thought right.

Since that first decision to let Hynes compete, Samara has watched him succeed again and again. Samara knows that Hynes exceeds the exceptional and sets his standards accordingly.

"Our first goal is always to qualify for nationals, which is never easy," Samara said. "I want Duane to get to the meet healthy and have a great time. Hopefully he can finish in the top three or four."

Competing in his first heptathlon of the season at home on Jan. 26, Hynes has his own goals for this season.

"I definitely plan on going to the NCAAs next year," Hynes said. "Last year I wasn't able to break the top eight, but this year I'd like to make it all the way to that All-American status. I just want to go as high as I can go."