Olympic Games

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Decathlon at the Olympics

The decathlon comprises 10 events, held over two consecutive days. Points are awarded for each event with the overall winner having the most points. The Decathlon as we know was not included in the Olympic games until 1912, though there was a similar event in 1904.

Day 1 Events

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

Day 2 Events

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

Olympic Decathlon Trivia

• At the 1904 Olympics there was a decathlon event 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.

Related Pages

• about Track and Field at the Olympics
• More information about the sport of Athletics.
• more about the 56 pound weight throw event.
• Running events were part of the ancient Olympic Games, as was javelin, discus and jumping events as part of the pentathlon.
• List of Olympic Sports