Curtis Beach

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Curtis Beach
Beach in 2016
Personal information
Full nameCurtis Lee Beach
Nationality United States
Born (1990-07-22) July 22, 1990 (age 35)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)[1]
Weight166 lb (75 kg)[1]
Sport
SportAthletics
EventDecathlon
College teamDuke Blue Devils (2009–14)
Now coachingPLNU Sea Lions (2025–)
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)Decathlon: 8,084 (2011)
Heptathlon: 6,190 (2014)
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Pan American Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Port-of-Spain Decathlon[2]
USATF Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Portland Heptathlon

Curtis Lee Beach (born July 22, 1990) is a retired American decathlete and a two-time NCAA heptathlon champion who holds the world heptathlon best in the 1000 meters.

Early life and high school

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Beach was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the oldest son of Jeana King-Beach and David Beach.[3] From a young age, he showed athletic promise, joining a track club at eight and competing in his first decathlon at fourteen.[4][5][6] At Albuquerque Academy, he won 17 individual New Mexico state titles and set national high school records in the pentathlon and decathlon (with both high school and international implements).[7][8][9][10] DyeStat declared him "the greatest US high school decathlete ever."[11]

College

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Beach attended Duke University, where he became a two-time NCAA national champion in the indoor heptathlon, winning in 2012 and 2014.[12][13] In 2011, he set a collegiate record in the decathlon 1500 meters, and then set back-to-back world records in the heptathlon 1000 meters in 2010 and 2012.[14][15][16] He also secured a second-place finish in the decathlon at the NCAA Championships in 2011.[17]

Professional career

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Beach underwent Tommy John surgery after graduating from Duke,[18][19] then for the next three years competed professionally for Nike.[20][21] In 2016, he won a U.S. indoor national championship and placed fourth at the World Indoor Championships.[22][23] He also explored other events, including a focus on the 400 meters hurdles in 2017.[24]

Personal bests

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Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.

Outdoor

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As of June 26, 2025
Individual events
Event Performance Location Date
Long jump 7.88 m (25 ft 10 in) (+0.0 m/s) New York June 14, 2013
200 meters 21.57 (+1.8 m/s) Claremont June 3, 2017
800 meters 1:47.36 New York July 6, 2017
400m hurdles 49.83 Claremont June 3, 2017
Combined events
Event Performance Location Date Score Ref.
Decathlon — Des Moines June 9–10, 2011 8,084 points —
100 meters 10.52 (+1.9 m/s) Chula Vista May 22, 2015 970 points [25]
Long jump 7.85 m (25 ft 9 in) (+1.3 m/s) Chula Vista May 22, 2015 1,022 points [25]
Shot put 12.64 m (41 ft 5+1⁄2 in) Chula Vista May 22, 2015 645 points [25]
High jump 2.05 m (6 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Eugene June 25, 2009 850 points [26]
400 meters 46.72 Raleigh April 19, 2013 972 points [27]
110m hurdles 14.23 (+1.0 m/s) Azusa April 14, 2016 945 points
Discus throw 39.44 m (129 ft 4+3⁄4 in) Eugene June 23, 2012 653 points [28]
Pole vault 5.10 m (16 ft 8+3⁄4 in) Austin March 28, 2013 941 points [29]
Javelin throw 48.42 m (158 ft 10+1⁄4 in) Des Moines June 10, 2011 565 points [30]
1500 meters 3:59.13 Des Moines June 10, 2011 960 points [31]
Virtual Best Performance 8,523 points —

Indoor

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As of June 26, 2025
Individual events
Event Performance Location Date Ref.
500 meters 1:01.50 New York February 7, 2014 [32]
600 meters 1:16.38 Albuquerque March 4, 2017 [33]
800 meters 1:52.72 New York March 15, 2009 [34]
Combined events
Event Performance Location Date Score Ref.
Heptathlon — Albuquerque March 14–15, 2014 6,190 points —
60 meters 7.01 Crete February 26, 2016 879 points [23]
Long jump 7.67 m (25 ft 1+3⁄4 in) Albuquerque March 14, 2014 977 points [35]
Shot put 13.12 m (43 ft 1⁄2 in) Portland March 18, 2016 675 points [22]
High jump 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) Albuquerque March 1, 2013 906 points [36]
60m hurdles 8.07 Crete February 27, 2016 964 points [23]
Pole vault 5.10 m (16 ft 8+3⁄4 in) Crete February 27, 2016 941 points [23]
1000 meters 2:23.63 Nampa March 10, 2012 1,064 points [37][a]
Virtual Best Performance 6,406 points —
a Heptathlon best

Post-career

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Beach announced his retirement from the decathlon in April 2021.[38] He is currently an assistant coach for the women's track & field team at Point Loma Nazarene University, primarily working with vertical and horizontal jumps.[21]

Honors and awards

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Governor Bill Richardson declared July 1, 2009, to be "Curtis Lee Beach Day" in recognition of the day that Beach was named the 2009 Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year.[1][39][40] He received the Fair Play award for cheering on Ashton Eaton during the final leg of the decathlon 1500 meters at the 2012 US Olympic Trials.[41][42][43] In 2015, he was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.[44][45]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year: Curtis Beach". Reuters. 2009-07-01. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  2. ^ "Event 102 Men Decathlon". August 1, 2009. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  3. ^ "CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks" (PDF). congress.gov. February 1, 2016.
  4. ^ "The Start". curtisbeach.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  5. ^ "#PiosXCTF Happy Hour with Curtis Beach". runnerspace.com. May 16, 2020. Event occurs at 2:18.
  6. ^ "Episode 68 - Curtis Beach, Former Pro Decathlete and current Volunteer Coach at Duke". podbean.com. June 2021. Event occurs at 1:00.
  7. ^ "National Scholastic Indoor Championships 2009". milesplit.com. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  8. ^ Kirby Lee (April 12, 2009). "Home of national records". IAAF. Archived from the original on June 10, 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  9. ^ "Curtis Beach 7909 HS Decathlon US Record - Arcadia Multis 2009". arcadiainvitational.org. April 11, 2009.
  10. ^ "H.S. Decathlon Record, Curtis Beach, 7,909". armorytrack.com. April 11, 2009.
  11. ^ John and Donna Dye (June 6, 2009). "Curtis Beach ends all doubt - he is the greatest US high school decathlete ever". dyestat.com. DyeStat. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009.
  12. ^ "NCAA Division I Indoor Championships". tfrrs.org. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  13. ^ "Men Heptathlon". flashresults.com. March 15, 2014.
  14. ^ "NCAA Division I Championships, Day Three As-It-Happens Notes". ustfccca.org. June 10, 2011.
  15. ^ "Freshman Sets World Record in Heptathlon 1,000m". goduke.com. March 13, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
  16. ^ "Beach Claims 2012 NCAA Indoor Heptathlon Crown". goduke.com. March 10, 2012.
  17. ^ "Men's Decathlon". Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  18. ^ Beach, Curtis [@curtis_beach] (June 8, 2014). "Aaaand off to Pensacola for elbow surgery... Sad to miss out on the NCAA decathlon reunion, but I'll be back at it soon enough" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "The Most Important Man in Sports". playboy.com. October 2015.
  20. ^ Bellino, Meg (April 10, 2015). "Curtis Beach Signs With Nike". flotrack.org.
  21. ^ a b Heiduk, Tim (December 4, 2024). "PLNU TRACK & FIELD ADDS CURTIS BEACH TO COACHING STAFF". plnusealions.com.
  22. ^ a b "HEPTATHLON FINAL RESULTS" (PDF). iaaf.org. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  23. ^ a b c d "2016 USATF Indoor Combined Events Championships". flipsnack.com. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  24. ^ Dutch, Taylor (July 11, 2017). "Former Decathlete Curtis Beach Is Making His Own Way In The Hurdles". flotrack.org.
  25. ^ a b c "OTC-CV Elite #2". runnercard.com. May 22, 2015.
  26. ^ "Curtis Beach Day 1 - USA Outdoor Championships 2009". runnerspace.com. June 25, 2009. Event occurs at 0:20.
  27. ^ "Duke Performs Well in Shot Put, Heptathlon at ACC's". goduke.com. April 19, 2013.
  28. ^ "Beach Finishes 11th at 2012 Olympic Trials". goduke.com. June 23, 2012.
  29. ^ "Duke's Curtis Beach wins Texas Relays decathlon". apnews.com. March 28, 2013.
  30. ^ "Men's Decathlon". flashresults.com. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  31. ^ "Mens Decathlon Highlights - NCAA DI Outdoor Championships 2011". runnerspace.com (subscription required). June 25, 2012. Event occurs at 2:54.
  32. ^ "Curtis Beach won the college section of the 500 in 1:01.5 at the Armory Collegiate Invite". runnerspace.com. February 7, 2014.
  33. ^ "2017 Results - USATF Indoor Championships". March 3, 2017. Archived from the original on March 9, 2017.
  34. ^ "National Scholastic Indoor Championships 2009". milesplit.com. March 15, 2009.
  35. ^ "Curtis Beach 1st Men's Heptathlon 6190 Points #3 a-t Collegian - NCAA D1 Indoor Championships 2014". runnerspace.com. March 15, 2014. Event occurs at 0:27.
  36. ^ "Curtis Beach 2.11m att2 make Mens Heptathlon High Jump - USA Indoor Track and Field Championships 2013". hokaoneonepostalnationals.com. June 1, 2013.
  37. ^ 2012 NCAA HEP 1000M Curtis Beach 2:23.63 World Record. March 11, 2012 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ Wright, Rick (April 24, 2021). "Beach decides it is time to chase a different goal (w/ photo gallery)". abqjournal.com.
  39. ^ Beach gains national student-athlete honor. July 1, 2009 – via YouTube.
  40. ^ "49TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2010" (PDF). nmlegis.gov. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  41. ^ "Beach's Finishes 11th at 2012 Olympic Trials". goduke.com. June 23, 2012.
  42. ^ Ashton Eaton smashes decathlon world record at 2012 Olympic trials. June 5, 2020. Event occurs at 9:43 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ "Decathletes Ashton Eaton and Curtis Beach receive Fair Play awards". olympics.com. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  44. ^ "New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame" (PDF). nmshof.org. p. 26. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  45. ^ @1017theteam (March 1, 2015). "On the show, @curtis_beach joins @HenryTafoya at the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame banquet! #nmshof" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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