Pau Tonnesen - MCC Olympian

Pau Tonnesen achieved a unique milestone in NJCAA history, one that is considered unbreakable. During his time at Mesa Community College, Tonnesen became the first and only athlete to win all four multi-event national titles across two years, capturing the indoor pentathlon and outdoor decathlon championships in both 2012 and 2013 at the NJCAA Division I Track and Field Championships. This unprecedented sweep of the multi-event titles ensures a record that cannot be surpassed, only matched.

A native of Tempe, AZ, and a graduate of Tempe Preparatory Academy, Tonnesen began his collegiate career at MCC by winning the indoor pentathlon as a freshman, followed by a victory in the outdoor decathlon later that same season. He also added an NJCAA outdoor pole vault championship to his resume that year.

As a sophomore, he repeated his titles in the pentathlon, decathlon, and pole vault, bringing his total to six national championships during his MCC tenure. In addition to his dominance in the multi-events, Tonnesen earned All-American honors in the high jump three times.

Following his success at Mesa, Tonnesen transferred to the University of Arizona, where he continued to thrive. He earned 2nd Team All-America honors in the indoor heptathlon as a junior. In his senior year, he captured the PAC-12 decathlon title and went on to place second at the NCAA Championships, scoring 8,247 points, a new school record for the Wildcats. His performance earned him PAC-12 Field Athlete-of-the Year honors.

Tonnesen's athletic accomplishments extended to the international stage. After completing his collegiate career, he represented Spain in the decathlon at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he finished 17th.