Since 1922, 38 decathlon world records have been set - 8 at the Olympics, with the last in 1984—but score comparisons over time are difficult due to multiple changes in the points tables.
World Championships’ complete history reveals all-time records, winners, and the medal table, highlighting the most outstanding achievements and top nations throughout the event’s legacy.
Daley Thompson is a legend! He dominated the decathlon for nearly a decade, winning two Olympic gold medals, two European Championships gold medals and also became decathlon World champion. Between 1980 and 1986, he went undefeated in all
Roman Šebrle became the first decathlete ever to achieve over 9000 points, setting the World Record at 9026 points (Götzis 2001), succeeding his compatriot, Tomaš Dvorak, who had scored 8994 points two years earlier (Prague 1999).
Rafer Johnson, a multi-sport high school star who rose from poverty and discrimination, became one of the greatest decathletes in history, ultimately winning Olympic gold in 1960 after a dramatic final event against C.K. Yang.
Daley Thompson successfully defended his Olympic title, having also won the 1980 Moscow Games. The rivalry between Thompson and Jürgen Hingsen was one of the big storylines: both were world record holders in the early 1980s, and their duels
13th European Athletics Championships were held in Athens 1982. Daley Thompson’s 8743 points was a Championship record at the time and also stood as a world record.