James Edward "Trey" Hardee III (born February 7, 1984) is a retired American track and field athlete who specialized in the combined events. He is a former NCAA Champion, a two-time World Outdoor Champion, a member of the United States 2008 Olympic team, and the silver medalist in the decathlon at the London 2012 Olympics.

High school and college career Hardee did not start out as a decathlete. He preferred basketball, and only joined the track and field team as a junior, after failing to make the basketball varsity squad at Vestavia Hills High School in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. He was recruited to Mississippi State University as a pole vaulter. Hardee started college at Mississippi State in 2002. It was at the university that coaches, noting his combination of size and speed, pushed him toward the decathlon and the indoor heptathlon. He finished second in the decathlon at the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Mississippi State dropped its indoor track and field program after the 2004 season, so Hardee transferred to the University of Texas. In his first season at Texas, he was third in the heptathlon at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships and won the decathlon at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships. In 2006, he set the NCAA decathlon record with a then personal best 8,465 points and was named the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year.

Professional career

Hardee was the runner-up in the decathlon at the 2008 US Olympic Trials and made his first Olympic team. At the Olympics, he was in 4th place through seven events when his no-height score in the pole vault cost him a chance to medal. His performances during the 2008 outdoor season garnered interest from the New York Jets of the National Football League, who offered him a tryout. However, he expressed no interest in pursuing the opportunity.

At the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Hardee won gold in the decathlon with a points total of 8790, which is his personal record. In the same year, he won the USA Outdoor championship with a score of 8,261. At the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, he won a silver medal in the heptathlon by finishing behind Bryan Clay. Hardee finished with a points total of 6184, which was 20 points behind Clay.Clay, Softee lay framework for London sweep . Universal Sports (2010-03-13). Retrieved on 2010-03-13. At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, Hardee defeated his compatriot Ashton Eaton and retained the world decathlon title with a final points tally of 8607.

In 2012, Hardee again finished second in the Olympic Trials and made a second Olympic Team. On August 9, 2012, he won the silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics behind Eaton. Hardee attempted to make a third Olympic team in 2016, but was unsuccessful due to injury. He did attend the Olympics as a television analyst for NBC Sports.

Personal bests Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted. Outdoor

Event Performance Location Date 100 meters 10.40 Austin April 2, 2008 10.28 Austin May 27, 2006 200 meters 20.98 Austin April 22, 2006 300 meters 33.69 San Marcos May 23, 2014 400 meters 48.13 Austin April 21, 2012 110 meters hurdles 13.61 Austin March 31, 2012 Long jump Des Moines June 27, 2010 Austin April 8, 2011 High jump Austin March 31, 2004 Pole vault Austin May 27, 2006 Shot put Atlanta May 17, 2013 Discus throw Austin April 14, 2012 Javelin throw Austin April 12, 2014

Event Performance Location Date Points Decathlon Berlin August 19–20, 2009 8,790 points 100 meters 10.39 Götzis May 29, 2010 1,001 points 10.35 Austin April 5, 2006 Long jump Götzis May 28, 2011 1,030 points Shot put Eugene June 22, 2012 834 points High jump Beijing August 21, 2008 850 points 400 meters 47.51 Sacramento June 7, 2006 933 points 110 meters hurdles 13.54 London August 9, 2012 1,035 points Discus throw Austin April 3, 2008 920 points Pole vault Eugene June 26, 2015 1,020 points Javelin throw Daegu August 28, 2011 874 points 1500 meters 4:40.94 London August 9, 2012 674 points Virtual Best Performance 9,171 points

Indoor

Event Performance Location Date 55 meters 6.30 Houston January 14, 2006 60 meters 6.82 New York February 2, 2007 400 meters 50.35 Stockholm February 10, 2010 60 meters hurdles 7.76 Ames February 23, 2007 Long jump Fayetteville March 2, 2007 High jump New York January 28, 2011 Pole vault Reno January 18, 2013 Shot put New York January 28, 2011

Event Performance Location Date Points Heptathlon Alburquerque January 26–27, 2006 6,208 points 60 meters 6.71 Fayetteville March 10, 2006 988 points Long jump Alburquerque January 26, 2006 992 points Shot put Apeldoorn February 15, 2014 828 points High jump Doha March 12, 2010 859 points 60 meters hurdles Gothenburg February 2, 2010 1,059 points Pole vault Albuquerque January 27, 2006 1,004 points 1000 meters 2:45.67 Bloomington March 4, 2012 811 points Virtual Best Performance 6,541 points

Honors and awards In 2006, Hardee was named the NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year. In 2009, he received the Jim Thorpe All-Around Award. In 2018, he was inducted into the Texas Track and Field Hall of Honor.

References

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