Former T-Bird Track & Field Star, Pau Tonnesen, to Begin Olympic Games

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Former Mesa track and field All-American Pau Tonnesen will get to live his dream beginning Wednesday as he competes in the Olympic games.  

Tonnesen, who will represent Spain by virtue of his mother's heritage, accomplished something unique in NJCAA history as a T-Bird when he won both the Pentathlon and Decathlon national championships in both of his years at MCC.  

He then went on to an outstanding career at the University of Arizona where he finished second and fourth in the NCAA Decathlon National Championships in his two years with the Wildcats.  

Last year he competed in the World Championships in China where he placed 18th.  

The Olympic decathlon will begin Wednesday the 17 th at 5:30 a.m. Rio time. The first five events will be contested Wednesday with the next five Thursday.