BOOKMARK THIS ONE – Canada went 1–2 for the first time in any event since the ’95 men’s 100.
Tokyo gold medalist Damian Warner entered as a slight favorite over French WR holder Kevin Mayer, but Götzis winner Pierce LePage was the headliner, PRing by more than 200 points to climb to No. 6 all-time at 8909.
A record 5 entered with PRs over 8700, and that club gained another member with Lindon Victor’s surprising bronze (8754 behind Warner’s 8804) — giving the meet its first-ever trio of medalists over that total.
While the contest took its toll on several big names — 8 DNFs — 6 finished with PRs, including 4 of the top 6.
100 Meters: Warner – the deca recordholder in this event at 10.12 — was tops at 10.32, with Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme next at 10.43. LePage ran a solid 10.45. American Kyle Garland was near his PR at 10.59, as was NCAA champ Leo Neugebauer at 10.69.
Long Jump: Neugebauer uncorked a final-round PR 26-3 (8.00), and the world leader now projected to 8899. LePage was solid at 24-11 (7.59), but the event encountered its first casualty: Mayer after a 23-9½ (7.25). “I’ve been nursing a little injury on my Achilles most of the season,” said the 31-year-old 2-time champ.
Shot: Neugebauer was too hot to touch, PRing at 55-11 (17.04) to become the first decathlete known to surpass 8m in the LJ and 17m in the shot; he now projected to 8947. Estonia’s Johannes Erm, the ’19 NCAA champ for Georgia, joined him with a second PR (50-5½/15.38 after a 10.69 in the 100). Without fanfare, LePage was near PR territory at 51-10½ (15.81).
High Jump: American Zach Ziemek, the bronze medalist last year, was a casualty; he cleared 6-6¼ (1.99) but his final miss at 6-8¾ (2.05) had him holding his left leg and forced to join Mayer on the sidelines. It was also the last event for four others, including ’19 champ Niklas Kaul of Germany.
LePage cleared 6-9¾ (2.08), just off his best 6-10¼ (2.09) from 2017. He projected to a PR 8844, but still trailed projected totals by Neugebauer (8929) and Warner (8892).
400 Meters: The big 3 looked like Neugebauer, Warner and LePage, all projecting over 8800 with no one else over 8600. All ran good times – LePage 47.21, Warner 47.86, Neugebauer 47.99.
110H: Warner led the way at 13.67, but it was far off his PR (and world deca best) of 13.36. LePage responded with his first (and only) PR of the meet at 13.77, edging his 13.78 from last year in Eugene. Neugebauer hit the first hurdle and struggled to a 14.75.
Discus: Things tightened up. Victor whirled a meet record 180-4 (54.97). LePage was next at 167-3 (50.98), but Neugebauer (156-3/47.63) and Warner (150-4/45.82) were notably down. Moving up was Karel Tilga, the ’21 NCAA champ at Georgia, at 165-11 (50.57). Projections had Warner in the lead for the final time, 8788 to 8779 for LePage. Following were Victor (8700), Tilga (8678) and Neugebauer (8648).
Pole Vault: Harrison Williams was highest at 17-4½ (5.30), but he was more than 100 points off his PR score of 8630 from the USATF Champs. LePage was next best at 17-0¾ (5.20), equal to his second-best ever. Neugebauer also matched his second-best ever at 16-8¾ (5.10). Warner equaled his PR at 16-¾ (4.90). LePage moved up on projections — 8841, followed by Warner (8788) and Victor (8700). Three no-heighters included Garland and Owens-Delerme.
Javelin: Victory was in sight for LePage with his second-best ever 199-10 (60.90). That put him at 8228, a whopping 190 points ahead of his PR and on pace for 8891. Only a collapse could keep him away from gold — or perhaps a miraculous finish by someone else. Warner seemed up for the challenge with a seasonal best 207-0 (63.09). Neugebauer had a PR, 190-1 (57.95). Victor threw close to his lifetime best at 223-3 (68.05), safe enough for a likely bronze.
1500 Meters: The top 2 looked to be LePage and Warner, with 184 points separating them. Warner is the faster 1500 runner with a PR some 11 seconds better (a difference of about 77 points). LePage closed out his 10-eventer in 4:39.88, his second-best ever, to register 8909. Warner tallied 8804, his third-best ever and highest since winning in Tokyo. Victor, a 2-time NCAA champ for Texas A&M, PRed in the final event to secure his first major medal ahead of a PR by Tilga, 8756–8681. Neugebauer was 5th in 8645.
LePage was one of three Canadians to win on Saturday and fifth in the meet thus far. The exuberant winner said, “I don’t think it’s really set in yet. It’s so nice to share the podium with [Warner]. We’ve been competing and doing stuff together for so long it’s just good.”
MEN’S DECATHLON RESULTS
(August 25–26)
1. Pierce LePage (Can) 8909 PR (WL) (6, 8 W)
(10.45, 24-11/7.59, 51-10½/15.81, 6-9¾/2.08, 47.21 [4610–2], 13.77, 167-3/50.98, 17-¾/5.20, 199-10/60.90, 4:39.88 [4299]);
2. Damian Warner (Can) 8804
(10.32, 25-6/7.77, 49-3¾/15.03, 6-8¾/2.05, 47.86 [4578–3], 13.67, 150-4/45.82, 16-¾/4.90, 207-0/63.09, 4:27.73 [4226]);
3. Lindon Victor (Grn) 8756 NR
(10.60, 24-9¼/7.55, 52-3¾/15.94, 6-7½/2.02, 48.05 [4476–4], 14.47, 180-4/54.97, 15-9/4.80, 223-3/68.05, 4:39.67 [4280]);
4. Karel Tilga (Est) 8681 PR
(10.84, 24-10½/7.58, 51-8¼/15.75, 6-8¾/2.05, 48.58 [4419–7], 14.68, 165-11/50.57, 15-9/4.80, 217-11/66.42, 4:20.73 [4262]);
5. Leo Neugebauer (Ger) 8645
(10.69, 26-3/8.00, 55-11/17.04, 6-7½/2.02, 47.99 [4640–1], 14.75, 156-3/47.63, 16-8¾/5.10, 190-1/57.95, 4:43.93 [4005]);
6. Janek Õiglane (Est) 8524 PR
(10.94, 24-6¼/7.47, 49-5¾/15.08, 6-7½/2.02, 48.41, 14.51, 134-0/40.85, 16-8¾/5.10, 231-1/70.45, 4:23.43);
7. Harrison Williams (US) 8500
(10.74, 24-7/7.49, 50-1¾/15.28, 6-4/1.93, 46.52, 14.33, 142-4/43.39, 17-4½/5.30, 179-1/54.60, 4:22.69);
8. Markus Rooth (Nor) 8491
(10.84, 25-0/7.62, 43-4½/13.22, 6-7½/2.02, 48.27, 14.47, 160-0/48.78, 16-8¾/5.10, 212-9/64.84, 4:34.11);
9. Johannes Erm (Est) 8484 PR (10.69, 25-4/7.72, 50-5½/15.38, 6-4/1.93, 47.05, 14.90, 147-11/45.09, 16-¾/4.90, 198-8/60.56, 4:22.19);
10. Sander Skotheim (Nor) 8263; 11. Manuel Eitel (Ger) 8191; 12. Dan Golubovic (Aus) 8141; 13. Rik Taam (Neth) 8098; 14. José Fernando Santana (Bra) 7935; 15. Yuma Maruyama (Jpn) 7844 PR;
… dnf—Ayden Owens-Delerme (PR) 6148, Kyle Garland (US) 6093, Marcus Nilsson (Swe) 5442, Zach Ziemek (US) 3529, Niklas Kaul (Ger) 3271, Cedric Dubler (Aus) 3253. Ashley Moloney 2494 (Aus). Larbi Bouraada (Alg) 2326, Kevin Mayer (Fra) 1782.
(best-ever mark-for-place: 3–5, 7–9)
Decathlon Top 10 Leaders by Event
100: 1. Warner 1018; 2. Owens-Delerme 992; 3. Eitel 989; 4. LePage 987; 5. Ziemek 956; 6. Grland 954; 7. Moloney & Victor 952; 9. Taam 942; 10. Neugebauer & Erm 931
LJ: 1. Warner 2020; 2. Neugebauer 1992; 3. Owens-Delerme 1982; 4. LePage 1944; 5. Ziemek 1921; 6. Erm 1921; 7. Garland & Victor 1899; 9. Skotheim 1895; 10. Rooth 1862
SP: 1. Neugebauer 2908; 2. Warner 2812; 3. LePage 2784; 4. Victor 2747; 5. Ziemek 2735; 6. Erm 2734; 7. Owens-Delerme 2729; 8. Tilga 2688; 9. Williams 2658; 10. Garland 2654
HJ: 1. Neugebauer 3730; 2. LePage & Warner 3662; 4. Victor 3569; 5. Tilga 3538; 6. Garland 3532; 7. Ziemek 3529; 8. Skotheim 3490; 9. Erm 3474; 10. Owens-Delerme 3443
400 (end of Day 1): 1. Neugebauer 4640; 2. LePage 4610; 3. Warner 4578; 4. Victor 4476; 5. Erm 4430; 6. Owens-Delerme 4429; 7. Tilga 4419; 8. Garland 4382; 9. Williams 4380; 10. Skotheim 4376
110H: 1. LePage 5614; 2. Warner 5596; 3. Neugebauer 5520; 4. Owens-Delerme 5398; 5. Victor 5391; 6. Garland 5366; 7. Williams 5312; 8. Tilga 5308; 9. Erm 5292; 10. Skotheim 5230
DT: 1. LePage 6505; 2. Warner 6380; 3. Victor 6365; 4. Neugebauer 6341; 5. Tilga 6190; 6. Owens-Delerme 6148; 7. Garland 6093; 8. Erm 6061; 9. Williams 6046; 10. Rooth 6021
PV: 1. LePage 7477; 2. Neugebauer 7282; 3. Warner 7260; 4. Victor 7214; 5. Williams 7050; 6. Tilga 7039; 7. Rooth 6962; 8. Erm 6941; 9. Õiglane 6840; 10. Eitel 6731
JT: 1. LePage 8228; 2. Victor 8074; 3. Warner 8044; 4. Neugebauer 7989; 5. Tilga 7874; 6. Rooth 7773; 7. Õiglane 7736; 8. Williams 7707; 9. Erm 7687; 10. Eitel 7471.