▁Clay ▁who ▁both ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁competition . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁At ▁the ▁USA ▁Ind oor ▁Com b ined ▁Events ▁Championships , ▁he ▁finished ▁with ▁ 5 8 5 1 ▁points ▁to ▁win ▁his ▁first ▁US ▁Ind oor ▁title . ▁He ▁attempted ▁to ▁gain ▁qual ification ▁into ▁the ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁US ▁Olympic ▁Tri als ▁in ▁Eug ene , ▁Oregon . ▁He ▁finished ▁with ▁a ▁two - day ▁total ▁of ▁ 8 1 3 0 ▁points , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁only ▁enough ▁for ▁fourth ▁place ▁behind ▁Clay , ▁Tre y ▁Har de e ▁and ▁P app as , ▁meaning ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁gain ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁ber th s ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Be ij ing ▁Olympics . ▁He ▁recorded ▁a ▁season ' s ▁best ▁of ▁ 8 1 9 1 ▁at ▁the ▁USA ▁vs . ▁Germany ▁Dec ath lon ▁competition , ▁finishing ▁as ▁runner - up ▁behind ▁Norman ▁Müller ▁and ▁helping ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁a ▁team ▁victory . ▁ ▁Arnold ▁retained ▁his ▁US ▁Ind oor ▁He pt ath lon ▁title ▁in ▁a ▁victory ▁with ▁ 5 7 4 8 ▁points . ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁appearance ▁on ▁the ▁European ▁combined ▁events ▁circuit ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁as ▁he ▁opened ▁his ▁out door ▁season ▁at ▁the ▁Hy po ▁Me eting ▁in ▁May . ▁He ▁recorded ▁ 8 0 6 9 ▁points ▁to ▁take ▁t enth ▁place ▁overall . ▁A ▁performance ▁of ▁ 7 9 8 4 ▁points ▁was