The decathlon competition comprises ten events, held over two consecutive days. Points are awarded for the performances in each event, with the overall winner having the most points. The decathlon as we know it was not included in the Olympic Games until 1912, though there was a similar mulit-event, the all-round, held in 1904. There were also pentathlon events at early Olympic Games.

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Day 1 Events

  • 100 meters
  • Long jump
  • Shot put
  • High jump
  • 400 meters

Day 2 Events

  • 110 meters hurdles
  • Discus throw
  • Pole vault
  • Javelin throw
  • 1500 meters

Olympic Decathlon Trivia

  • At the 1904 Olympics there was the all-round competition that included the 100 yard dash, Shot put, High jump, 880 yard walk, 56 pound weight throw, Hammer throw, Pole vault, 120 yard hurdles, Long jump and 1 mile run.
  • The star of the 1912 Games in Stockholm was the American Indian Jim Thorpe, who won both the decathlon and pentathlon. However, in the following year it was discovered that he once played semi-professional baseball, and he was subsequently striped of his gold medals. In 1982, he was officially pardoned by the IOC, 29 years after his death. Replicas of his 1912 medals were presented to his family at the start of 1983.