Decathlon Events



Decathlon events are considered to be one of the most grueling competitions in the sports arena and the one who is crowned king in this form is referred to as the 'World's Greatest Athlete'.
Decathlon events comprise ten track and field events that test the strength and stamina of the participating athletes. The ten events are divided over a period of two consecutive days of intense competition. The decathlon is widely regarded as the pinnacle of endurance sports and sees athletes from all over the world participate in this Olympic sport. There is a points system for each event and the athlete who has the most number of points after the completion of all the ten events is declared the winner. The events in a decathlon are not only a test of a persons physical attributes but also the athletes mental make up and attitude.

What is a Decathlon

The name decathlon comes from the Greek word meaning ten and contest. Which translates to having ten events in this contest. The events in a decathlon are all track and field events that test the speed, agility, and stamina of an athlete. The decathlon consists of ten track and field events which are held on two consecutive days. On the first day there are five events and on the second day there are five events. Participants are required to take part in all the ten events.

The decathlon events list consists of disciplines like 100-meter run, long jump, shot put, javelin, pole vault, 1500-meter run, etc. The rules of the event require at least 30 minutes gap between each event, in disciplines like long jump, shot put, discuss throw, etc. athletes are given three attempts to record their best score. To conduct a decathlon event a minimum of three athletes are required, if there are less than that the event does not have recognition. Athletes who are in top physical and mental conditions qualify for this event and most dream of winning the Olympic gold which is the premier competition for this sport. It is considered to be the super bowl of decathlon.

Decathlon Events Order

The decathlon consists of ten events which are spread over a period of two consecutive days. First let us take a look at all the ten track and field events that comprise the decathlon. Here is a decathlon events list
  • 100m Run
  • 400m Run
  • 1500m Run
  • 110m Hurdles
  • Long Jump
  • High Jump
  • Shot Put
  • Discus Throw
  • Javelin Throw
  • Pole Vault
These events test the strength and endurance of the participating athletes over a period of two days. The decathlon events scoring assigns certain points for each of the aforementioned events and at the end of day two the athlete with the most number of points is crowned as the champion. Here is an order of events in a decathlon, on the first day the athletes are tested for their speed and strength. Day one decathlon events include
  • 100m Run
  • Long Jump
  • Shot Put
  • High Jump
  • 400m Run
On the second day of the competition the athletes are tested for a combination of endurance, stamina, and power. Day two decathlon events include
  • 110m Hurdles
  • Discus Throw
  • Pole Vault
  • Javelin Throw
  • 1500m Run
The athletes score points in each event as decided by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF). As per the rules of the event the points scored by individuals in each event and their total score has to be announced after the successful completion of each event. In the recently concluded Beijing 2008 Olympic games Bryan Clay of the United States of America won the gold medal. You may also like to read through other articles on athletics.

Decathlon events have gained in popularity since there inclusion in modern-day Olympics, it is a highly prestigious competition. The decathlon aficionados are already looking forward to the London 2012 Olympics to cheer for their favorite warriors.

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