First Global Series for Combined Events. Before 1998, combined events athletes mainly competed in isolated major championships (Olympics, World Championships, European Championships, etc. ) or at individual meetings. The Challenge created a
After its debut year, the 1999 Challenge showed that the concept of a season-long ranking system for combined events was sustainable, gaining credibility among athletes and organizers.
By its fourth year, the Challenge had begun to establish itself as an important platform not just for stars, but also for rising athletes to measure themselves across multiple competitions, creating more depth in decathlon and heptathlon.
Integration with the Olympics. Performances from the Sydney Games counted toward the Challenge. This linked the sport’s most prestigious event directly with the series, boosting its legitimacy and visibility.
The discipline and training applied by decathletes have always been regarded by me as the ultimate in athletic dedication. Whilst it is of course always a huge honour for any decathlete to achieve the ultimate status of World Champion, I cannot help but regard all those who dedicate themselves to this most gruelling of athletic disciplines as Champions - unknown person