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Introduced in the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games,
decathlon event comprises four track and six field events, the total
of ten events. Competitions part of decathlon are 100 meter sprint,
# 110 meter hurdles, 400 meter event, 1500 meter event, Long jump,
High jump, Shot put, Discus throw, Javelin throw and Pole vault.
Decathlon for women is not held in the Olympics.
Rules and Regulations
- An athlete is given three chances per event in discus throw,
javelin throw, high jump and shop put events.
- The initial height in high jump and pole vault events is set
by the International Association of Athletics or the IAAF
experts.
- The 110 meter hurdle event is usually held in adjacent lanes.
- Athletes are barred from obstructing fellow athletes. At the
commitment of the offence his points are detected. If the
offence is a serious one, he is disqualified.
- An interval must be provided between two events. Usually, at
the Olympics, the interval provided is of 30 minutes.
- A point table has to be maintained to score the athletes'
performances in the ten events.
- Winner of decathlon is the athlete who has accumulated most
point in the event.
- For decathlon event, an athlete has to participate in all the
ten events. If an athlete does not play in any of the event, he
is disqualified.
- IAAF approved timing devices should be used for measurement
of time.
- A steel tape is used to take measurement in javelin throw,
discus and shot put events.
Dominating Country
Players of the United States have been dominating in the event of
decathlon.
Top Performers
Athletes excelling in the decathlon event at the Olympics are
Christian Schenk, Daley Thompson, Bruce Jenner, Nikolai Viktorovich
Avilov, Bill Toomey, Willi Holdorf, Roman Sebrle, Erki Nool, Paavo
Yrjola, Tomas Dvorak, Harold Osborn, Helge Lovland, Jim Thorpe, Dan
O'Brien, Robert Zmelik, Rafer Johnson, Milt Campbell, Bob Mathias,
Bryan Clay, Glenn Morris, James Bausch and Siegfried Wentz. |
