Steve Fritz missed an Olympic medal by 20 points in Atlanta 1996. He had finished the best competition of his life, scoring 8644 points. That got him 4th place.
Failing in just one event can end a decathlete's entire competition, with no points scored and no chance of recovery - no matter how well they've performed elsewhere.
Kip Janvrin is the ultimate decathlete. What a remarkably enduring, high ‐quality career! Janvrin won the 1989 U. S. Olympic Festival, the 1995 Pan Am Games, the 2001 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and a record 15 decathlons at
A complete history of the USA Championships highlights all-time decathlon records and champions, showcasing the nation’s finest performances and winners across the years.
Estonia has a deserved image of an e-country, but only a few know that one of the first to conquer the world in this field was Decathlon 2000! Being the best in your field is a very inspiring goal. Even small things can be big if you have knowledge and enthusiasm - Raul Rebane, communication consultant