When determining who is the most well-rounded athlete on the planet, few events can test the will, endurance and ability of a competitor like the decathlon does. The World Athletics Championships decathlon kicked off Saturday at Hayward Field.
The 10-event contest covers a wide range of disciplines spread over two days.
The athletes are given points based on performance in each discipline. The points are totaled at the end of all 10 events. The athlete with the most points at the end wins the decathlon.
Day one of the event included the 100m dash, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 meters.
The athletes are given a night to recover before the second day of events, which are: 110 hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and finally the 1500. With sometimes less than an hour between events, a level head and muscular endurance are crucial for competitors.
“It’s about how you can go from event to event and be your best,” American Zachery Ziemek said. “There are slip ups. If you can bounce back, then you can have nine events. It’s all about if you can execute on the highest level.”
The 2022 World Athletics Championships decathlon features world No. 1, Canadian Damian Warner. Unfortunately, in the final event of day one, the Olympic champion, who some predicted could set a world record, went down with an apparent hamstring injury less than half way into the 400.
Ziemek had a big Saturday morning. He had a season’s best 7.70 in the long jump and threw a personal best 15.37 in the shot put. He was expecting a big day.
“I knew I was ready,” Ziemek said. “My family and my coach knew I was ready. So it was just about going out there and executing.”
At the conclusion of the first five events, Ziemek sits in third place with 4,469 points. On Sunday, he’s looking forward to hurdles, an event he’s been working hard on. He has a few tricks up his sleeve.
“I’m going to try my best,” Ziemek said. “Hopefully get a personal best in every event, and we’ll see where that puts me.”
NCAA record holder Kyle Garland dawned the stars and stripes for the first time at the World Championships. He sat seventh after the first three events.
Garland had the second best high jump of the day. He did not fail an attempt until the 2.14 mark, which rocketed him up to third overall. He egged the Hayward spectators on with a shout and synchronized clap before each attempt. After the 400 he is in fourth place with 4,413 points.
Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme (4606) and Canada’s Pierce Lepage (4485) are first and second ahead of the final events.
The second day of the decathlon begins with the 110 hurdles Sunday at 9:35 a.m. at Hayward Field.
