Competing in his first decathlon in Jamaica, World Championship silver medallist and reigning Central American and Caribbean Games champion Maurice Smith led after day one of the NACAC Combined Events Championships being held at the UWI/Usain Bolt Track at the UWI Bowl.

Smith was second in the 100m (10.94sec), second in the long jump (7.16m), won the shot put (16.88m), sixth in the high jump (1.91m), and third overall in the 400 metres (49.80sec) to lead with 4,179 points, ahead of Canadian Damian Warner (4,082 points), American Chris Helwick (3866 points) and compatriot Claston Bernard (3,810 points).

“I am pleased with it,” he said of his performance so far.

“My first decathlon for the year, first time competing in Jamaica. I am having some cramp problems but it’s all in the name of the game of the decathlon.

“The strongest survive… this meet is just a test for some of the things I have been working on,” he said, acknowledging that the shot put was his best event on the opening day of the two-day, 10-event competition.

“Competing in Jamaica is good. I would’ve love to some more fans here to get the motivation going,” he added.

With a personal best 8,644 points set in 2007, which was a national record, Smith is hoping to end today with near 8,000 points.

Smith will compete in the 110m hurdles at 9:00 am, with the discus set for 9:50am, pole vault at 11:45am, javelin at 2:20 pm and the final event, the 1500m at 4:40 pm.

Meanwhile in the heptathlon , American Sharon Day led after four events with a score of 3,464 points, ahead of Nigerian Naomi Osazuwa (3,426 points), and American Emily Pearson.

Home girl Salcia Slack was ninth with 3,077 points.