Trey Hardee's victory in the decathlon at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin marked a significant milestone in his career. Competing in the Olympic Stadium, Hardee achieved a personal best of 8790 points, securing the gold medal and setting
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.
The piece explores a hypothetical decathlon record based on an athlete’s best performances over an entire season - rather than in the traditional two-day format.
The Decathlon's nice in that you get to know the other athletes. It's almost like everyone helps each other out. We're all out there trying to win, but at the same time there's a friendship there too. It's always fun going to meets and catching up with the other guys - Tom Pappas