The first impulse is to reflect on how disappointing it is for things to end this way for Bryan Clay.

A stumble near the end of the day’s first event and sixth of the decathlon, the hurdles, and seemingly that’s it for Clay. That’s all it takes, one clipped hurdle, one small miscalculation.

No ticket to London. No unprecedented third Olympic decathlon medal for the Castle High product to add to his silver from 2004 and gold in 2008. Clay was forced to push it in the next event, the discus, to try to get back into the hunt. But three fouls, and so much for that.

So the early buzz-kill Saturday was that the 2012 Olympics are over before they start for Clay, after four more years of hard work and dealing with injuries since he climbed to the top of the podium in Beijing. His possible dream of becoming the greatest decathlete ever, dashed in the trials.

Clay said it himself recently, that decathlons are decided by making the fewest mistakes. And at his level of competition, there is almost no room for error.

That initial reaction of pity and sadness doesn’t last long. Sure, a lot of us wanted to see Clay chase history in London. But he showed by his actions after faltering early that making the Olympic team isn’t the be-all and end-all of his existence.

He focused on completing the task — well, make that tasks — at hand.

He kept going, and he completed the final three events. That tells you a lot about Bryan Clay the person as well as Bryan Clay the athlete.

Clay hates the 1,500 meters. But he did it anyway, with nothing tangible on the line. A time of 5:09.62 for that distance isn’t very good — unless it’s the final of 10 events in two days, and you’re doing it for pride and because you want to finish what you start.

He said he did it for his coaches and his family. He also surely picked up some new fans with the effort.

At one point after the competition, Clay hadn’t given up on the idea of somehow still making the 2012 Olympic team.

Only two decathletes made the qualifying score for London, and if the USOC was willing to adjust its rules, it could have given Clay and others a chance to fill the third spot. But an official told the Star-Advertiser’s Adam Sparks, who is at the trials, that the USA decathlon contingent was determined Saturday, and that will stand.

The rules are pretty clear, and the decision makers are probably already weary of controversy, with distance star Alan Webb getting a questionable pass into the trials, and Allyson Felix obtaining a reprieve in the 100 meters after she was initially ruled fourth in a photo finish.

Even without a third decathlon medal, Clay’s legacy is secure as one of the finest and most accomplished sports competitors ever to come out of this state. He overcame so much to earn the title of world’s greatest athlete: a rough childhood, a lack of typical decathlete size, coming from a state with very little track and field tradition, and dealing with asthma.

The way things started Saturday tells you everything you need to know about the decathlon. It is an undertaking fraught with peril at every turn, even for the world’s best.

The way things ended Saturday tells you everything you need to know about Bryan Clay. How you leave really matters, even when it seems like it doesn’t.

"It was a rough day for me," he said. "It’s all erased by finishing."

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.