Paul Terek, who edged fellow-Michiganian Phil McMullen for the third and last spot on the U.S. decathlon team, left Athens as the world's 21st- best athlete.

Terek, 24, opened day two of the two-day 10-event competition Aug. 24 with a personal-record 15.12 in the 110-meter hurdles. The 6-2, 194- pound Livonia native followed that with a 45.62-meter (149 feet, 9 inch) discus throw, then hit a season-best 5.3 meters (17-4.75) in his specialty, the pole vault, to move into 12th place with two events left.

But he fell off in the javelin and 1,500-meter run in the Athens heat.

Terek finished with 7,893 points. Roman Sebrle, from the Czech Republic, won gold with 8,893 points. America's Bryan Clay took silver.

Terek, a football, basketball and track star at Livonia Franklin High School, developed his multi-track skills at Michigan State University. In 2001 he finished first in the Big 10 decathlon (7,695 points) and pole vault (with an indoor best 18-2.75), and was named conference athlete of the year.

His lifetime-best 8,312 points at this year's U.S. Decathlon Trials were just enough to hold off McMullen, whose 8,285 gave him fourth for the second-straight trials.

Terek, still young for a decathlete, wasted little time resuming training in hopes of achieving the medals stand in Beijing. MR