“It hasn’t sunk in yet and it probably won’t for a long time. It’s overwhelming,” Horn said of his victory. “That last race is something you think about when you’re walking around or listening to music. This is something I have dreamed about my whole life.”
Horn’s victory certainly didn’t come easy. He entered competition with a 57-point lead over Tennessee’s Michael Ayers. That lead was lost after the second to last event when Horn finished the javelin throw with a toss of 40.86m, giving him just 455 points. Ayers’ throw of 59.63m not only gave him the event, but the overall lead as well.
Horn’s last shot at victory came in the 1,500. Horn didn’t need to win, but he needed to top Ayers for his chance at history. Florida’s frosh did just that, finishing second in the race with a time of 4:29.19, giving him 750 points and first place overall.