Van Alphen, Ennis lead Hypo Meeting after 1st day

GOETZIS, Austria (AP) - Hans van Alphen of Belgium led the men's decathlon after the opening day of the Hypo Meeting on Saturday, while European champion Jessica Ennis held a commanding lead in the women's heptathlon.

Van Alphen, who won the long jump, finished five of 10 events on 4,334 points to take an 81-point lead over Germany's Rico Freimuth. Adam Helcelet of the Czech Republic trailed Freimuth by just one point in third place.

Former world champion Ennis, winner of the competition for the past two years, took the hurdles and gained 4,113 points from the first four events.

Ennis led Austra Skujyte of Lithuania by 221 points and Tatyana Chernova of Russia was another eight points back in third.

The 38th Hypo Meeting will end on Sunday.