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- This article refers to the sporting constest. For the sports store chain of the same name see Decathlon Group.
A decathlon is an athletic contest made up of 10 events. The term decathlon usually refers to an athletic (track and field) event. Normally occurring over two days, the event pushes athletes to their limits.
Day 1:
Day 2:
In each event, the athlete scores points according to the marks achieved. In each field event the athletes receive three attempts, in each track event the competitors are divided into heats by personal best. The athlete accumulating the highest number of points wins the competition. Decathlon (and heptathlon) competitions tend to be more friendly than individual events, with each competitor having different strengths and weaknesses and thus helping each other. It is traditional that all competitors take part in a lap of honour after completing the final event.
The decathlon has been included in the program of the Olympic Games since 1912. It is one of the most highly respected Gold Medals. In many cases, including international competition, it is only contested by men. Women compete in the heptathlon, a similar contest made up of seven events.
Due to the inclusion of throwing events, indoor decathlon competitions are impractical. During the indoor season, decathletes compete in the men's heptathlon, featuring different events compared to the women's heptathlon.
World Records
The decathlon world record is:
- Roman Šebrle 9026 pts Götzis, AUT 27 May 2001
And the unofficial world record for women:
- Austra Skujytė 8366 pts Columbia, USA 15 April 2005 (awaiting verification)
Top 10 performers
Accurate as of January 1 2006.
| Mark | Athlete | Nationality | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9026 | Roman Šebrle | Götzis | May 27 2001 | |
| 8994 | Tomáš Dvorák | Prague | July 4 1999 | |
| 8891 | Dan O'Brien | Talence | September 9 1992 | |
| 8847 | Daley Thompson | Los Angeles | August 9 1984 | |
| 8832 | Jürgen Hingsen | Mannheim | June 9 1984 | |
| 8820 | Bryan Clay | Athens | August 24 2004 | |
| 8815 | Erki Nool | Edmonton | August 7 2001 | |
| 8792 | Uwe Freimuth | Potsdam | July 21 1984 | |
| 8784 | Tom Pappas | Palo Alto | June 22 2003 | |
| 8762 | Siegfried Wentz | Bernhausen | June 5 1983 |
Other famous decathletes
- Bruce Jenner, USA
- Dave Johnson, USA
- Dean Macey, UK
- Mike Smith, Canada
External links
Endurance sports | Events in athletics | Individual sports | Multi-sport competitions | Olympic sports
Desetiboj | Tikamp | Zehnkampf | Kümnevõistlus | Δέκαθλο | Decatlón | Décathlon | Decathlon | Tienkamp | 十種競技 | Tikamp | Dziesięciobój lekkoatletyczny | Decatlo | Kymmenottelu | Tiokamp
"Decathlon"