Paris — Markus Rooth of Norway has claimed gold in a thrilling decathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, solidifying his status as the world’s greatest all-round athlete. Rooth’s performance was exceptional, setting a personal best and Norwegian record with a score of 8796 points.
A Historic Decathlon
Rooth’s victory is noteworthy for several reasons. This decathlon is only the second time in Olympic history that all three medallists exceeded 8700 points. Moreover, it is the first Olympic decathlon where ten athletes surpassed 8400 points, showcasing the incredible depth of talent in the field.
Final Standings
Gold: Markus Rooth (Norway) – 8796 points
Silver: Leo Neugebauer (Germany) – 8748 points
Bronze: Lindon Victor (Grenada) – 8711 points
The podium did not include some of the event’s anticipated stars. World champion Pierce LePage missed the Games due to injury, world record-holder Kevin Mayer withdrew before the decathlon began, and defending Olympic champion Damian Warner struggled, failing to register a height in the pole vault.
Key Moments of the Decathlon
Day 1 Highlights:
100m: Warner took an early lead with a time of 10.25 seconds. Rooth started with a personal best of 10.71 seconds.
Long Jump: Norway’s Sander Skotheim made the first eight-metre jump of his career. Rooth’s leap of 7.80m positioned him in the top five.
Shot Put: Neugebauer’s 16.55m shot put moved him into the lead, while Rooth’s 15.25m kept him in contention.
High Jump: US champion Heath Baldwin cleared 2.17m, with Rooth just below that at 1.99m.
400m: Owens-Delerme won the fastest heat with 46.17 seconds, while Rooth set a personal best of 47.69 seconds.
By the end of the first day, Neugebauer led with 4650 points, followed by Owens-Delerme (4608), Skotheim (4588), and Warner (4561). Rooth was in seventh place with 4459 points.
Day 2 Highlights:
110m Hurdles: Warner clocked 13.62 seconds to regain the lead. Rooth moved up to sixth place with a time of 14.25 seconds.
Discus: Victor’s Olympic decathlon best of 53.91m moved him into fourth place. Rooth’s 49.80m throw kept him in the top six.
Pole Vault: The event was pivotal, with both Skotheim and Warner failing to clear their opening heights. Rooth’s 5.00m vault moved him into second place.
Javelin: Rooth threw a lifetime best of 66.87m, taking the lead with 8113 points.
1500m: Rooth finished the decathlon with a time of 4:39.56, securing his gold medal with a total score of 8796 points. Neugebauer and Victor finished second and third, respectively.
Rooth’s Reflections
“I don’t know how to describe it; it’s surreal,” Rooth said after his victory. “It has always been a dream to become an Olympic champion. The decathlon is a challenging event, so to win gold at 22 is beyond what I expected.”
Rooth came to Paris with the goal of surpassing his performance from the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. His gold medal win in Paris exceeded all expectations and established him as a leading figure in decathlon history.
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