Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Owens-Delerme was first recognised as a multi-sport athlete at statewide athletic powerhouse North Allegheny in suburban Wexford. Michael Owens, Ayden Owens-Delerme's father, captained the 1980 basketball team at the University of Virginia.[3]
Prep
Owens-Delerme was the 2018 PIAA state champion in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, and 200-meter dash. He additionally finished second in the long jump. By winning three events and finishing second in another, he single-handedly won the state title for North Allegheny.
Owens-Delerme was a four-time New Balance National All-American, won the 2018 New Balance indoor 60-meter hurdles title with a state-record time of 7.59, and decathlon champion at the 2017 New Balance Nationals Outdoor. These accomplishments made him the 2018 Gatorade Pennsylvania Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Owens-Delerme concluded his prep career ranked in the Top 10 nationally in seven different track events.[4]
NCAA
Owens-Delerme first attended the University of Southern California, where he was named 2019 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. He then transferred to the University of Michigan, where he earned the 2021 Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year Award, before transferring to the University of Arkansas, for whom he won the 2022 NCAA championship decathlon, following which he was named the 2022 SEC Field Athlete of the Year.[5] Owens-Delerme graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 and the University of Arkansas in 2023.[6]
Despite being born and raised in Pennsylvania, Owens-Delerme represents the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico on the international stage, as his family on his mother's side are Puerto Rican, and he visited the island yearly in his childhood.[11]
Competing at the 2022 World Athletics Championships decathlon in Eugene, Oregon, Owens-Delerme was placed third overall after the 100 metres, shot put and long jump events and took the lead overnight after a personal best 45.07 in the 400m.[12][13] After subpar second-day performances in the javelin and pole vault, he fell behind eventual champion Kevin Mayer and others, eventually finishing 4th.
He finished seventh at the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis on 1 June 2025 with a tally of 8486 points, setting a meeting record time for the 400 metres.[15] He won the 2025 Décastar decathlon in Talence, France, scoring 8478 points.[16]
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