Everything to Know About the Decathlon in Track and Field

The decathlon has roots all the way back in ancient Greece.

“The decathlon originated from the ancient pentathlon events that took place at the ancient Greek Olympics,” said Dan O’Brien, the 1996 Olympic decathlon champion and former world record holder. “At that time, the pentathlon events involved five disciplines — long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, sprint and a wrestling match. This sport was introduced in the Olympics during 708 B.C.”

Since then, the competition has evolved. The decathlon, as it exists today, was introduced at the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games.

In regulated competition, O’Brien said, the decathlon is known for having a history of complex scoring systems that have changed six times since 1912. The final tweaks to the scoring were made in 1984 and have been in place since.

According to World Athletics, the changes implemented in 1984 were intended to provide a method for comparing athletes’ performances in different events. After each event, an athlete earns a designated number of points based on their performance. At the end of the competition, the athlete with the most points is declared the winner.

Note: The decathlon is only competed in the men’s category in track and field. In the women’s category, athletes compete in the heptathlon, which includes seven events. According to World Athletics, women first competed in the five-event pentathlon at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. This event was replaced by the seven-event heptathlon at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

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Location: typically on the infield, over a runway and sandpit, which the athletes jump into

Event Overview: Formerly known as the broad jump, the long jump tests an athlete’s horizontal jumping ability.

In the long jump, athletes take a running start on a 40-meter runway before jumping as far as possible into a sandpit, without crossing a foul line at the end of the runway. To successfully execute the long jump, O’Brien said athletes must master their speed and timing on the jump.

“Being a good sprinter provides a speedy run-up, and a perfectly timed jump is a must,” O’Brien said.

(Related: Everything to Know About the Triple Jump in Track and Field)

Location: throwing circle

Event Overview: The first throwing event of the decathlon, the shot put requires athletes to throw a round, metal ball as far as they can with one hand.

The metal ball (the shot) weighs 16 pounds (7.26 kilograms). According to World Athletics, the shot cannot drop below the athlete’s shoulders and must land inside a designated 35-degree landing sector. As they gear up to throw, athletes rest the shot close to their necks, holding it with one hand.

Two techniques dominate the shot put: the glide technique and the rotational technique. In the former, an athlete tucks the shot put under his chin and clavicle for an explosive launch, taking two big, single-leg pushes to accumulate power. This is a linear technique and doesn’t involve spinning. Conversely, the rotational technique involves rotating the legs and upper body to propel the launch.

Location: on the track

Event Overview: The 400-meter dash tests both speed and stamina.

In the 400-meter race, athletes run one full lap around the track as fast as possible.

The last event of the first day of the decathlon, the 400-meter run requires athletes to muster their physical and mental strength. Athletes line up in staggered positions, launch out of starting blocks and run a full lap of the track, remaining in their designated lanes.

Location: throwing circle

Event Overview: The second throwing event of the competition, discus is an event in which athletes spin and throw a metal disc as far as possible from a throwing pit.

The disc weighs 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms). While the discus is lighter than the shot put, the event challenges throwers to hone their throwing technique, which involves spinning around one-and-a-half times in a circular throwing area before releasing the disc into the air.

The athlete throws the disc into an area called the landing sector, which extends from the throwing circle at a 40-degree angle in a cone shape.

(Related: Everything to Know About the Discus Throw in Track and Field)

Location: typically on the infield, in a designated jumping area, with a runway and a crash pad for athletes to land on after clearing a high bar

Event Overview: The objective of the pole vault is to sprint down a runway holding a long, flexible pole made of fiberglass or carbon fiber, then place one end of the pole into a box on the ground, vaulting into the air over a high bar.

The length of the pole ranges from 10 to 17 feet in length, depending on skill level, and they have different thicknesses, according to the athlete’s weight and ability. During each attempt, athletes run full speed down a runway, use the pole to vault their bodies over a bar set high in the air and land on their backs on the crash pad — all without knocking down the bar.

Location: on the track

Event Overview: Known as the metric mile, the last event covers 1,500 meters, three-and-three-quarters laps around a 400-meter track.

The 1,500-meter run is considered a middle-distance race — not a sprint but not quite a long-distance event. Athletes begin the race in a bunched start — not in designated lanes — and start standing up rather than in starting blocks.

With 10 distinct events, decathletes need a good amount of equipment to get competition-ready.

“Shoes, shoes and more shoes,” O’Brien said. “There is a shoe for every event.”

Nike offers specialized performance shoes for distance running, sprinting, throwing and jumping, as well as multi-event track shoes. The versatile Nike Zoom Rival multi-event spikes offer heel cushion and a lightweight, durable upper that’s well-suited for sprints, hurdle events, jumps and pole vault.

O’Brien said that beginners typically do not need their own shot, disc, javelin or pole-vault pole, but experienced athletes tend to own these eventually.

Words by Emily Shiffer