Day second after first day

Sharon Day, the former Costa Mesa High standout athlete, put herself in position to qualify for her second Olympics, this time in the heptathlon.

Day, who qualified for the 2008 Olympics in the high jump, is in second after the first day of the women’s heptathlon at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Day scored 3,797 points and trails Hyleas Fountain, who leads with 3,948 points. Day, the reigning U.S. champion, can qualify for the Olympics if she finishes in the top three, since she attained the ‘A’ standard in April. She scored 6,337 points then and the ‘A’ standard is 6,150.

Fountain won the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics. Chantae McMillan (3,762), Barbara Nwaba (3,736) and Bettie Wade (3,680) trail Day after the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shotput and 200 meters.

Day was ninth in the 100 hurdles (13.71) and second in her heat. She took third in the high jump, clearing a season-best 6 feet, 1 1/2 inches. In the shotput, Day was fourth, with a mark of 43-11 3/4. Day took seventh in the 200, crossing in 24.26.

She competes in the long jump, javelin and 800 meters Saturday.

— From staff reports