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.
Steve Fritz had finished the best competition of his life, scoring 8644 points, more than Bruce Jenner produced to win the Montreal gold. That got him only fourth place.
Ashton Eaton was the 2nd decathlete to break the 9000 ‐point barrier. He is a former decathlon World Record holder (9045 points scored in Beijing 2015) and heptathlon World Record holder (6645 points scored in Istanbul 2012). He won an
Johannes Erm, the Estonian decathlete, is the 2024 European champion with a personal best of 8764 points, the second ‐highest score in Estonian history after Olympic champion Erki Nool. He also placed 6th at the 2024 Paris Olympics, won
In 1988, Külvet surpassed his best decathlon with a score of 8506 points in Staiki, Belarus. This achievement placed him second in the world that season, just behind Christian Plaziat of France.
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).
Trey Hardee won an Olympic silver medal at the London Olympic Games 2012 and he is double Decathlon World Champion (2009, 2011). Winner of the 2009 IAAF Combined Events Challenge.
Almost 40 years ago in Los Angeles (during XXIII Olympiade) only five points appeared to be the difference between Gold and Silver medalists at women’s Heptathlon…..
Bryan Clay won the 2004 US Championships decathlon in Sacramento with 8660 points, defeating Tom Pappas and Paul Terek in a highly competitive Olympic Trials contest. The Sacramento decathlon also served as the U. S. Olympic Trials for the 2004
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