Markus Rooth earned the title of world’s best all-round athlete after claiming gold in a very dramatic and erratic decathlon on Saturday, 3, at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
With 8796, the Norwegian recorded his best-ever series to break his PB. Leo Neugebauer, the world leader, grabbed silver with 8748; Lindon Victor of Grenada claimed bronze with 8711.
World champion Pierce LePage, who missed the Games due to injury, world record-holder Kevin Mayer withdrew on the day of the decathlon, and reigning Olympic champion Damian Warner, who failed to achieve a height in the pole vault, did not make it on the podium at all.
Of course, this does not diminish the three medallists from Paris; any athlete who survives two arduous days of competition on the largest athletic venue in the world finishes among the top three and deserves their position on the Olympic podium.
Actually, it was the second time in Olympic history that all three medallists scored more than 8700 points. Ten guys broke 8400 in this also the first-ever decathlon event.
Early in the first discipline, the 100-meter sprint to 10.25 — Warner’s second-fastest time in a championship decathlon. Ayden Owens-Delerme of Puerto Rico was second quickest (10.35), while Rooth started his career with a PB of 10.71.
Among the group, Sven Roosen (10.52) and Victor (10.56) were among the fastest; Neugebauer trailed not too far behind with 10.67.
Skotheim from Norway was outstanding in the long jump and produced the first eight-metre leap of his career soaring out to 8.03m to rank fourth overall. Neugebauer also ascended the ranks with his 7.98m leap; Rooth slid into fifth with his 7.80m leap; Warner stayed in first after leaping 7.79m.
As Mayer’s withdrawal news was still fresh, his colleague Makenson Gletty gave the home audience something to celebrate when he produced the greatest shot throw of the day, his 16.64m heave pushing him up five places to 11th. With his 16.55m performance, Neugebauer took the German into the overall lead, 78 points ahead of Warner, who threw 14.45 meters. While Rooth managed 15.25m to stay in medal contention, Victor produced the best of 15.71m.
Rising to lead the high jump with a PB of 2.17 m, US champion Heath Baldwin placed eighth. While Rooth was barely below two meters with 1.99m in a discipline that usually went to form, Skotheim (2.11m), Neugebauer (2.05m), Warner (2.02m) and Victor (2.02m) all reached over two meters. The most noteworthy change in this race was Australia’s Ashley Moloney, the Olympic bronze medallist from Tokyo three years ago, withdrawing.
Owens-Delerme won the quickest 400m heat in 46.17, therefore meeting expectations in the last discipline of the first day. PBs for Roosen ( 46.40), Skotheim ( 47.02), Gletty ( 47.48) and Rooth ( 47.69). Harrison Williams of USA was among the fastest performers (46.71), followed by Warner (47.34) and Neugebauer (47.70).
Neugebauer maintained the lead at the conclusion of the first day with 4650 ahead of Owens-Delerme (4608), Skotheim (4589), and Warner (4561). With 4459, Rooth was in seventh position and his highest day score ever.
Warner was fastest in the first event of day two, as was to be anticipated. To win his 110-meter hurdles heat and retake the overall lead, the Canadian rushed to 13.62. After clocking 14.09, Owens-Delerme stayed in second overall; Rooth moved up one spot to sixth (14.25); Neugebauer slid to third (14.51).
The discus had Victor as its star. To move into fourth position and closer to the medals, the Grenadian all-rounder put an Olympic decathlon best of 53.91m. Close behind, however, Neugebauer threw 53.33 meters to retake the lead. With 49.80m to keep sixth place, Rooth threw his best ever in a decathlon.
The pole vault fundamentally altered the competitive form.
Skotheim, the world indoor and European silver champion, struggled to overcome his starting height of 4.50m, therefore reducing his chances of medal contesting. Just seconds later, Warner, among the most steady and dependable decathletes worldwide, performed similarly with his 4.60m beginning height.
Neugebauer, the event leader, vaulted 5.00 meters really well. Still, Rooth did much better. The 22-year-old Norwegian increased his PB by 20 cm to rank second overall. It placed him 139 points behind Neugebauer, but with two outstanding disciplines to go.
While Harrison (5.10m) and Victor (4.90m) performed well to survive close to the top of the list, Estonia’s Janek Oiglane equaled Rooth’s height in the pole vault to move up four places in the rankings.
Another Olympic decathlon best came later in the day, in the javelin thanks to Germany’s 2019 world champion Niklas Kaul. Though it only raised his rankings by three points, he threw 77.78m to lead the contest. The only other men to toss above 70 meters were Oiglane (71.89m) and Jose Fernando Ferreira Santana (70.58m).
Just the push Rooth needed to go into the lead, a career best of 66.87m puts him 16 points ahead of Neugebauer, who threw 56.64m.
Rooth (8113), Neugebauer (8097), and Victor (8053) had already broke 8000 points with only the 1500m to go. Knowing he is the best 1500m runner of the three gave Rooth also confidence. He only had to keep ahead of Victor and Neugebauer to hang on to gold.
Rooth rounded the 1500m in 4:39.56, apparently under the pace of teammate Skotheim, whose own chance for an Olympic gold had ended with his pole vault failure, keeping his advantage over Neugebauer. Following in 4:44.67, the German added 8748, his silver-medal-winning total. Victor came in 4:43.53 to win bronze with 8711.
With 8445, Kaul was seventh overall and was the quickest in the last race, finishing in 4:15.00 Completing fourth with a Dutch record of 8607, Roosen also performed well—clocking 4:18.55 to conclude the tournament. With a PB of 8572 in fifth, Oiglane was only three points ahead of European champion countrymen Johannes Erm.
