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06/20/2021 12:00 AMEamon Sweeney is undoubtedly one of the top track and field athletes in the state of Connecticut, and his dedication to the sport is unmatched. Sweeney, a senior captain on the Haddam-Killingworth boys’ outdoor track team, displayed his dedication to athletic excellence when he missed his high school graduation to compete in the CIAC Decathlon last week.
It turned out to be a good decision for Sweeney, who finished in first place among 48 competitors at the marquee meet.
The CIAC Decathlon, which is part of the CIAC’s season-ending series that also includes the Heptathlon, Steeplechase, and Hammer Throw, was held at Willow Brook Park in New Britain on June 15 and 16. The Decathlon consisted of 10 events including the 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and the 1,500-meter run. Sweeney claimed first place by totaling a score of 6,365—well ahead of runner-up Joshua Mooney of Stonington, who scored 5,507 points.
“I knew there was definitely a chance I could take home the win, but I knew there was going to be some tough competition from racing a couple of the opponents at states and State Opens,” Sweeney said. “I was very happy when I finished the last event and knew I took home the gold. I was even more excited, because I felt I had done my coach proud from where I progressed my sophomore year.”
Sweeney finished first in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.79 seconds and also placed first in the javelin with a throw of 160 feet-7 inches at the CIAC Decathlon.
Sweeney was also the runner-up in four events by taking second place in the 100 (11.40), the shot put (42-10.75), the high jump (6-0), and the 400 (51.32).
Sweeney turned in a third-place performance in the long jump (20-4.25) and a fourth-place finish in the discus (114-9). In the 1,500, Sweeney finished sixth by running a time of 5:04.07. He also took ninth place in the pole vault with a height of 9-6.25.
Sweeney will be competing in the Decathlon and as part of H-K’s sprint medley relay (SMR) team at Nationals, which will be held at the University of Oregon from Sunday, June 27 through Saturday, July 3.
“My favorite moment from this year’s Decathlon was seeing how drastic of a jump all of my marks made from my sophomore year,” said Sweeney. “I have Nationals coming up for the decathlon and the SMR, and I just hope that I represent my team and Connecticut well.”
Earlier in the postseason, Sweeney took first place in the 110 hurdles and the 300 hurdles at the Shoreline Conference Championship, after which he won the 300 hurdles and the javelin at the Class M State Championship, where he also finished second in the javelin. Sweeney went on to win the 110 hurdles at the State Open. Along the way, he helped the Cougars win their second-straight Shoreline Conference title and then take first place at the Class M State Championship meet for the team’s first state title in 33 years.
“My favorite moment from this season was when my team won the Class M state championship,” Sweeney said. “It was the first time we had done it since 1988, and we really worked hard for it.”
Head Coach Matt Diglio praised Sweeney for his efforts at CIAC Decathlon and throughout the season as a whole. Diglio said that Sweeney has drastically improved his skills during the past few years and put in plenty of work with his event coaches—Evan Wolcick in the jumps, Sean Gallagher in the throws, and Richard Dupuis for the vault and high jump.
“Eamon has been working for that competition for the past two years since he competed in it as a sophomore. He even missed his graduation to compete in day two of competition,” said Diglio. “Eamon is one of those special, rare athletes that is able to excel at all 10 events. Eamon was focused and determined heading into the Decathlon and came in with great confidence coming off his State Open title in the 110 hurdles and state titles in the 300 hurdles and javelin. I am very proud of him and am looking forward to seeing what he can do out at Nike Nationals in Oregon.”
Sophomore Zenon Kolcio also competed for H-K in the CIAC Decathlon, finishing in 10th place with 4,908 points scored. Kolcio finished sixth in both the 110 hurdles (16.54) and the pole vault (10-0) to go with an eighth-place showing in the 1,500 (5:06.41) and a ninth-place finish in the high jump (5-6) at the event.
Additionally, Kolcio finished 11th in the long jump (18-8), 14th in the javelin (115-9), 20th in the discus (74-11), 20th in the 400 (56.40), 28th in the 100 (12.20), and 32nd in the shot put (30-3.75).
Senior captain Meara Bodak represented the H-K girls’ outdoor track team when she competed in the CIAC’s 2,000-Meter Steeplechase at Willow Brook Park on June 15. Bodak finished in 33rd place for the Steeplechase by recording a time of 8:46.20.