Olympics explained: What is the decathlon?

The Olympic Decathlon is a test of strength, endurance and overall athletic ability. But what exactly is this 10-event performance all about?

The decathlon is the athletic competition. The most known decathlete was Bruce Jenner who set a world record of 8,616 points in 1972.

The name comes from the Greek word “deca-“, meaning 10 and “athlon” meaning contest. The event spans a timeframe of two days, hosting five events each day. This 10-event competition dates back to the days of ancient Greece, where it originated in the Greek Olympics.

Decathalon events and scoring explained

The events included in this smorgasbord of athleticism are affiliated with the events you’d see in track and field. They include:

• 100M Dash
• Long Jump
• Shot Put
• High Jump
• 400M Dash
• 110 Hurdles
• Discus
• Pole Vault
• Javelin
• 1500 Meter Run

So how do you keep score? In essence, the faster you go, the farther you throw and the higher you fly, the more points you get. The calculations of the point system and include the IAAF’s handbook on the complete rundown of the competition.

Each event tops off at a maximum of 1,000 points, adding up to a total of 10,000 potential points. It’s performance-based, so if an athlete clocks a 100M time of 10.30 seconds, then that’s a ballpark range of 1,000 points.

What decathletes hold the bragging rights?

Ashton Eaton of the US National Team is the golden child of the decathlon, gaining two consecutive gold medals in 2012 and 2016. He still holds the Olympic record with Roman Sebrle with a score of 8,893 points.

Eaton also holds the World Championship record with 9,045 points, but French athlete Kevin Mayer holds the world record of 9,126 points.

But wait, there are no female Olympic record holders! Women traditionally participate in the Heptathlon. But, according to the NY Times, one athlete from Georgia looks to change that for the future Olympics.