Simon Poelman's personal best of 8366 points is still a New Zealand national record. This was set at the national athletics championships in Christchurch 1987. Poelman secured the New Zealand decathlon title seven times between 1984 and 1992.
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.
Michael Smith won two Commonwealth decathlon titles and World Championships silver in Tokyo 1991 and bronze in Göteborg 1995. The Canadian set his decathlon best of 8626 points in Götzis 1996 and earned World Indoor heptathlon silver with 6279
Jon Arnar Magnusson is the Icelandic record holder at 110m hurdles, long jump and decathlon. He set numerous national records, secured multiple international indoor medals in heptathlon, and consistently ranked among the world’s elite decathletes.
Jiri Ryba won the Multistars decathlon in Desenzano del Garda 2000 with a personal best of 8339 points. The Czech decathlete finished sixth at the Edmonton 2001 World Championships and earned European U20 bronze in Nyíregyháza 1995.
The men’s indoor heptathlon is a combined track and field event consisting of seven disciplines contested over two days. It includes the 60 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60 metres hurdles, pole vault, and 1000 metres, with
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.
Simon Poelman's legacy to New Zealand athletics is that of the greatest all round athlete in it's history. His outstanding and, probably, under developed ability at a wide range of events brought him successes at many major events. He is also
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.
Dan O’Brien’s journey - from dramatic setbacks like missing the 1992 Olympics to dominating world championships and securing Olympic gold - cements his legacy as one of the greatest decathletes ever.
Dmitri Karpov won Olympic decathlon bronze in Athens 2004 with an Asian record of 8725 points, alongside world bronze medals in Paris 2003 and Osaka 2007. The Kazakh also won two Asian Games titles, the 2006 IAAF World Combined Events Challenge
Trey Hardee won world decathlon titles in Berlin 2009 and Daegu 2011, followed by Olympic silver in London 2012. The American set his personal best of 8790 points in Berlin, won the 2009 IAAF World Combined Events Challenge and claimed world
Estonian decathlete Mikk Pahapill won heptathlon gold at the 2009 European Indoor Championships with 6362 points. Remarkably, he established personal bests in all seven disciplines, including a 7. 97 m long jump, achieving a unique place in
Daley Thompson won his first Olympic decathlon title at the Moscow 1980 Games with 8495 points, equivalent to 8522 under the 1985 scoring tables. The British athlete led a field of 21 competitors from 12 countries, finishing ahead of Soviet
William Toomey won the men’s decathlon at the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games with an Olympic record of 8193 points, finishing 82 points ahead of West Germany’s Hans ‐Joachim Walde. Kurt Bendlin took bronze with 8064 points. Competing at
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…..