When Ashton Eaton set the world record in the heptathlon for the third consecutive year, Harry Marra was fixated on every movement.
When Eaton asked early in competition what he needed to set the American decathlon record in front of a rain soaked and mesmerized Hayward Field crowd, Marra was quick to correct him and began raising questions of a world record.
And of course when Eaton won a gold medal in the decathlon in London, Marra was never more than a stone’s throw away.
The two were together through every step of one of the more remarkable seasons in track and field history. So it wasn’t surprising the coach of the Jesse Owens Award winner would be named the Nike Coach of the Year.
In just a handful of competitions in 2012, Eaton’s season included four world records, USA Indoor and USA Outdoor titles and an Olympic gold medal. The multi-event coach of the Nike Oregon Track Club Elite, Marra also coached Eaton’s fiancée, Brianne Theisen, in 2012. Theisen won NCAA titles both indoors in the pentathlon and outdoors in the heptathlon. She has won a combined six NCAA titles indoors and outdoors.
Bragging Rights H Multi-event coach for the Nike Oregon Track Club Elite
H Coached Ashton Eaton to the World Indoor heptathlon gold medal and world record (6,645); USA Indoor championship in the long jump (8.06m/26-5.5); Olympic Trials championship and world record in the decathlon (9,039); world decathlon records in the 100m (10.21) and long jump (8.23m/27-0); Olympic gold in the decathlon (8,869)