TALENCE, FRANCE, September 18–19 — A year after Götzis had a golden anniversary, the Décastar meet in southern France marked 50 years since its inception with its own big celebration.
The winners — Norway’s Sander Skotheim (8630) and Nafi Thiam of Belgium (6482) — didn’t register scores near their all-time bests (8909 and 7013), but each seemed most satisfied to win a multi for the first time in over a year, a stretch for each that included withdrawing from the Tokyo Worlds last September.
Both also fought off the challenge of a rising star who led late on Day 2. Hakim McMorris pressured Skotheim with an American yearly leader of 8599 in the decathlon, and 20-year-old German Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers hit PRs in 6 of the heptathlon’s 7 events in scoring 6374.
Decathlon — Skotheim Rebounds From Ligament Rupture
For Skotheim, this made a sweep of golden anniversaries as he won Götzis last year a day after turning 23 with a score of 8909 – a total no one has surpassed since. He suffered a big setback in January, rupturing a foot ligament that required surgery.
McMorris took the co-lead in the 100 with a 10.55 (off his PR 10.42) while Skotheim PRed by a 100th at 10.69. In the long jump, Skotheim moved to the front with a 25-10¾ (7.89), his best this year while McMorris leapt 25-4 (7.72), his second-best ever, in dropping to 3rd in the standings. McMorris took the lead by 7 points (2698-2691) with a 46-10 (14.27) shot as Skotheim went 45-10½ (13.98).
To the crowd’s delight, 3 of the top 5 high jumpers were Frenchmen with Makenson Gletty and Antoine Ferranti leading at 6-9 (2.06), a PR for Gletty. McMorris and Skotheim remained 1-2 overall as both cleared 6-6¾ (2.00). The height was far off the Norwegian’s best of 7-2½ (2.20) but much better for the American, who also had close misses at matching his lifetime best 6-8 (2.03).
McMorris’s 46.77 led everyone in the 400 as he finished Day 1 with a 44-point lead at 4471, 41 points up on his 8420 PR from Mt. SAC in April. He and Harrison Williams had a good back-and-forth duel in the homestretch, as Williams took the event win in 46.62. Skotheim dropped to 3rd in the standings after a 47.78 gave him a score of 4414.
Skotheim closed the margin to 43 points in opening Day 2 with a 14.13 in the 110H as McMorris ran 14.24. McMorris followed with his second-best discus of 152-8 (46.55) while Skotheim was more than 20ft off his PR at 143-9 (43.83). The American had his largest lead of the meet at 99 points. He was now projecting over 8500 points.
Both vaulted well, one bar away from PRs. Skotheim was tops at 17-5 (5.31), near his PR 17-6½ (5.35). McMorris cleared 16-5¼ (5.01); his best is 16-9¼ (5.11). McMorris’ lead shrunk to 5 points (7127–7122).
Skotheim was solid in the javelin at 198-4 (60.45) to take the overall lead with 7867 as McMorris notched his first PR of the meet, 188-9 (57.55) and was 39 points back at 7828.
McMorris (4:26.08) finished ahead of Skotheim (4:27.27) in the 1500 but Skotheim gave Norway its first title in this meet, his 8630 adding 197 points to the 8433 he scored for bronze 5 weeks earlier at the European Championships.
McMorris, 26, tallied 8599, adding 179 to his 8420 best in moving to No. 15 all-time U.S.
Heptathlon — Thiam Victorious After 2-Year Hiatus
Thiam, 32, hadn’t completed a heptathlon since the Paris Olympics, where she claimed her third gold. She also has three European golds but missed this year’s Euros with a hamstring injury. While her chief competition appeared to be Belgian countrymate Noor Vidts (bronze medalist in Paris with a PR 6707), newcomer Ehlers provided the biggest challenge despite a best of 6216.
U.S. champ Erin Marsh started off best with a 12.89w in the 100H, just off her PR 12.86 she ran in her 6305 PR score at Ratingen in late-June. Thiam — whose PR is 13.21 — ran a seasonal-best 13.78 while Ehlers went sub-14 for the first time at 13.78.
Ehlers zoomed to the top of the standings after leading the high jump at 6-3¼ (1.91), raising her PR twice in the process. Next best was Thiam at 6-¾ (1.85), her best this year but far below her PR 6-7½ (2.02) set here in ’19. After two events the precocious Ehlers was 71 points ahead of Thiam. Marsh cleared 5-7 (1.70), down from the 5-7¾ (1.72) in her PR score.
After topping the shot chart at 49-6½ (15.10), another seasonal best, Thiam gained the lead for the first time. Vidts, with 47-4½ (14.44), moved into 2nd. Their scores were 2926 and 2879. Ehlers followed at 2801 after suffering what would be her lone non-PR of the meet at 39-10¾ (12.16); her best is 43-4½ (13.22). Marsh put 45-3¾ (13.81), her fourth-best of the year (and career) and stood 4th at 2777.
The 200 gave Vidts her first meet lead. She moved 14 points ahead of Thiam after running 24.31 to Thiam’s 24.96 (a fourth SB). Ehlers was fastest among the leaders with a PR 24.30. She remained 3rd (3753) ahead of Marsh (3734) as the latter clocked 24.25, much slower than the 23.56 she ran in her PR score.
Ehlers went back into the overall lead after a PR 21-3¼ (6.48) on her final attempt in the long jump as both Thiam and Vidts were subpar at 19-10¼ (6.05) and 19-8¼ (6.00). Ehlers’ 5-event total of 4754 had her +73 on Thiam with Vidts a point back. Marsh dropped to 5th (4587) after a 19-8¾ (6.01) — compared to 20-1¾ (6.14) in her PR score.
The javelin is a standby for Thiam, and a 169-0 (51.51) throw — her farthest since Paris — pretty much sealed things as she took the lead at 5570. That put her 134 up on Ehlers, who PRed at 133-9 (40.78). Ehlers was 2nd in the standings at 5436 with Vidts (140-9/42.91) 33 back at 5403.
Thiam cruised 2:13.66 in the 800— her sixth event season’s best of the meet — in finishing a 6482 to win here for the first time since ’19. It was her lowest score since a 6298 at the ’15 Beijing Worlds. Ehlers — who has a much slower PR than Vidts in the 800 (2:13.91 vs. 2:06.38) — was faster here. The German notched event PR No. 6 with a 2:11.82 in finishing ahead of Vidts’ 2:12.69. That gave Ehlers the silver with a score of 6374, her highest by 158 points.
TALENCE DECATHLON RESULTS
1. Sander Aae Skotheim (Nor) 8630
(10.69, 25-10¾/7.89, 45-10½/13.98, 6-6¾/2.00, 47.78, 14.13, 143-9/43.83, 17-5/5.31, 198-4/60.45, 4:27.27);
2. Hakim McMorris (US) 8599 PR (AL)
(10.55w, 25-4/7.72, 46-10/14.27, 6-6¾/2.00, 46.77, 14.24, 152-8/46.55, 16-5¼/5.01, 188-9/ 57.55, 4:26.08);
3. Makenson Gletty (Fra) 8381
(10.61w, 24-1½/7.35, 52-½/15.86, 6-9/2.06, 48.65, 13.90, 136-8/41.66, 15-1½/4.61, 192-4/58.62, 4:27.80);
4. Harrison Williams (US) 8380
(10.68w, 24-3/7.39, 47-8/14.53, 6-3¼/1.91, 46.62, 14.07, 151-7/46.21, 16-1¼/4.91, 172-6/ 52.58, 4:20.08);
5. Jeff Tesselaar (Neth) 8355
(10.64w, 25-2½/7.68, 46-9/14.25, 6-4¼/1.94, 47.44, 14.67, 157-0/47.86, 15-5½/4.71, 168-4/ 51.30, 4:13.30);
6. Sven Roosen (Neth) 8353
(10.62w, 24-5¾/7.46, 48-5¼/14.76, 6-2/1.88, 47.72, 13.97, 154-9/47.17, 15-9¼/4.81, 186-8/56.90, 4:28.62);
7. Devon Williams (US) 8288
(10.78w, 24-5¾/7.46, 47-7/14.50, 6-3¼/1.91, 48.87, 14.10, 159-7/48.64, 15-9¼/4.81, 198-3/ 60.44, 4:36.19);
8. Damian Warner (Can) 8238
(10.62w, 25-8/7.82, 45-7/13.89, 6-5½/1.97, 49.97, 14.01, 156-11/47.83, 15-1½/4.61, 195-4/ 59.55, 4:46.56);
9. Markus Rooth (Nor) 8209
(10.95, 24-4¼/7.42, 47-8/14.53, 6-3¼/1.91, 50.11, 14.37, 163-5/49.80, 15-9¼/4.81, 210-0/64.01, 4:39.21);
10. Karel Tilga (Est) 8195 (10.98, 23-6/7.16w, 48-9/14.86, 6-4¼/1.94, 49.10, 14.58, 163-1/49.72, 15-1½/4.61, 213-3/65.00, 4:33.94).
TALENCE HEPTATHLON RESULTS
1. Nafi Thiam (Bel) 6482
(13.73, 6-¾/1.85, 49-6½/15.10, 24.96, 19-10¼/6.05, 169-0/51.51, 2:13.66);
2. Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers (Ger) 6374 PR
(13.78, 6-3¼/1.91, 39-10¾/12.16, 24.30, 21-3¼/6.48, 133-9/40.78, 2:11.82);
3. Noor Vidts (Bel) 6329
(13.23w, 5-10½/ 1.79, 47-4½/14.44, 24.31, 19-8¼/6.00, 140-9/42.91, 2:12.69);
4. Vanessa Grimm (Ger) 6256
(13.47w, 5-8/1.73, 47-6½/14.49, 24.76, 19-11¾/6.09, 149-0/45.43, 2:12.73);
5. Beatričė Juškevičiūtė (Lit) 6223
(13.09w, 5-4½/1.64, 45-6½/13.88, 23.89, 19-9½/6.03, 153-5/46.76, 2:14.79);
6. Mareike Rösing (Ger) 6167 PR
(14.00, 5-10½/1.79, 45-5¼/13.85, 25.64, 20-2¼/6.15, 157-4/47.97, 2:14.96);
7. Liana Trümpi (Swi) 6138 PR
(13.85, 5-9¼/1.76, 44-2¾/13.48, 23.96, 20-6¼/6.25, 128-11/39.29, 2:15.53);
8. Maddie Wilson (NZ) 6103 PR
(14.12, 5-11½/1.82, 40-2¼/12.25, 25.45, 20-4¼/6.20, 148-5/45.25, 2:12.02);
9. Ellen Barber (GB) 6052
(14.00, 5-7/1.70, 44-2¾/13.48, 24.72, 19-7½/5.98, 145-3/44.28, 2:10.73);
10. Célia Perron (Fra) 6018
(13.70, 5-9¼/1.76, 38-8¼/11.79, 25.06, 20-7/6.27, 123-1/37.52, 2:08.50);
… 12. Erin Marsh (US) 5964 (12.89w, 5-7/1.70, 45-3¾/13.81, 24.25, 19-8¾/6.01, 110-8/33.73, 2:19.52).
