Eaton seals a family affair as US dominate

21 Mar, 2016

Ashton Eaton cruised to his third consecutive heptathlon crown to complete a unique husband-and-wife double as American athletes dominated at the World Indoor Athletics Championships on Saturday.
Olympic and world decathlon champion Eaton wrapped up a comfortable victory in the multi-discipline event by cruising home in third place in the 1,000m to roars from his hometown crowd.
Eaton's win came just 24 hours after his wife - Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton - had snatched a dramatic last-gasp win in the women's pentathlon on Friday to claim her first world crown.
Eaton's coronation at the Oregon Convention Center was a formality after solid displays in the morning events - the 60m hurdles and pole vault - left him 200 points clear of his nearest rival.
Afterwards, Eaton said despite his unprecedented third straight world indoor victory, his unique achievement could not compare to the triumph enjoyed by his wife on Friday.
"That made the whole event for me," Eaton said. "She's the one that stole the show."
Eaton finished with 6,470 points, a season-best mark but short of his world record of 6,645 set in Istanbul four years ago.
The 28-year-old's victory was one of the highlights of a day that saw American athletes claim four gold medals.
Barbara Pierre rounded out the host nation's gold haul in the final track event with victory in the women's 60m final.

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