Combined events at the Olympics

Last updated
Combined events
at the Olympic Games
Decathlon reflections, Olympic Games, London, 1948. (7649948104).jpg
Men competing in the 1500 m of the 1948 Olympic decathlon
Overview
Sport Athletics
GenderMen and women
Years heldMen's decathlon: 19122024
Women's heptathlon: 19842024
Women's pentathlon: 19641980
Olympic record
Men9018 pts Damian Warner (2020)
Women7291 pts Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1988)
Reigning champion
MenFlag of Norway.svg  Markus Rooth  (NOR)
WomenFlag of Belgium (civil).svg  Nafissatou Thiam  (BEL)

Combined events at the Summer Olympics have been contested in several formats at the multi-sport event. There are two combined track and field events in the current Olympic athletics programme: a men's decathlon (100 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 metres, 110 metres hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 1500 metres) and a women's heptathlon (100 metres hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 metres, long jump, javelin throw, and 800 metres).

Contents

The first men's events came at the 1904 Summer Olympics: a triathlon had long jump, shot put, and 100-yard dash events, while an all-around championship saw athletes compete over ten events, forming the basis for the decathlon. [1] No combined events were held at the subsequent games, but the 1912 Summer Olympics saw the introduction of the modern decathlon event and also a men's pentathlon (which lasted for three games). The first women's event came in 1964 in the form of the women's pentathlon. This was amended to include two more events, becoming the heptathlon at the 1984 Summer Olympics, reflecting the development of women's sport.

The Olympic record in the decathlon is 9018 points, set by Canadian athlete Damian Warner in 2021. Jackie Joyner-Kersee's score of 7291 points to win in 1988 is both the current Olympic and world record for the heptathlon – this remains the only occasion that record has been broken at the Olympics. The men's decathlon world record has had a strong link with the competition, with the Olympic gold medalist breaking the world record in 1928, 1932, 1936, 1952, 1972, 1976, and 1984. [2]

Five men have won two Olympic combined event titles. Bob Mathias, Daley Thompson and Ashton Eaton have all won back-to-back decathlon titles, Jim Thorpe won both the decathlon and pentathlon titles in 1912, and Eero Lehtonen won two Olympic pentathlon titles. Nafissatou Thiam is the most successful athlete, having won three Olympic heptathlon titles, she is, alongside Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the only one with three Olympic combined events medals.

In 1912, Thorpe was designated the "World's Greatest Athlete" by Gustav V of Sweden and this title is traditionally given to the reigning Olympic decathlon champion in the media. [3] [4] Thorpe's two gold medals were stripped in 1913 on the grounds that he had broken amateurism rules (having taken expense money for playing baseball), but the International Olympic Committee restored him as the champion in 1982, 30 years after his death, admitting that the protest against Thorpe’s eligibility was not brought within the required 30 days (other medalists were not demoted). [5]

The 1906 Intercalated Games, now not considered an official Olympic event, featured an event based on the Ancient Olympic pentathlon, combining four track and field events with a wrestling match.

Medal summary

Men's decathlon

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1912 Stockholm
details
Jim Thorpe
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Hugo Wieslander
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Charles Lomberg
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Gösta Holmér
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
1920 Antwerp
details
Helge Løvland
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Brutus Hamilton
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Bertil Ohlson
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
1924 Paris
details
Harold Osborn
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Emerson Norton
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Aleksander Klumberg
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
1928 Amsterdam
details
Paavo Yrjölä
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Akilles Järvinen
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Ken Doherty
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
1932 Los Angeles
details
Jim Bausch
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Akilles Järvinen
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Wolrad Eberle
Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Germany
1936 Berlin
details
Glenn Morris
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Bob Clark
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Jack Parker
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
1948 London
details
Bob Mathias
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Ignace Heinrich
Flag of France.svg  France
Floyd Simmons
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
1952 Helsinki
details
Bob Mathias
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Milt Campbell
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Floyd Simmons
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
1956 Melbourne
details
Milt Campbell
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Rafer Johnson
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Vasili Kuznetsov
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1960 Rome
details
Rafer Johnson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Yang Chuan-kwang
Flag of the Republic of China.svg  Formosa
Vasili Kuznetsov
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1964 Tokyo
details
Willi Holdorf
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  United Team of Germany
Rein Aun
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Hans-Joachim Walde
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  United Team of Germany
1968 Mexico City
details
Bill Toomey
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Hans-Joachim Walde
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany
Kurt Bendlin
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany
1972 Munich
details
Mykola Avilov
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Leonid Lytvynenko
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Ryszard Katus
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland
1976 Montreal
details
Bruce Jenner [a]
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Guido Kratschmer
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
Mykola Avilov
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1980 Moscow
details
Daley Thompson
Olympic flag.svg  Great Britain
Yuriy Kutsenko
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Sergei Zhelanov
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1984 Los Angeles
details
Daley Thompson
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Jürgen Hingsen
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
Siegfried Wentz
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
1988 Seoul
details
Christian Schenk
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Torsten Voss
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Dave Steen
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
1992 Barcelona
details
Robert Změlík
Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia
Antonio Peñalver
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Dave Johnson
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
1996 Atlanta
details
Dan O'Brien
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Frank Busemann
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Tomáš Dvořák
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
2000 Sydney
details
Erki Nool
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
Roman Šebrle
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Chris Huffins
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2004 Athens
details
Roman Šebrle
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic
Bryan Clay
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Dmitriy Karpov
Flag of Kazakhstan (3-2).svg  Kazakhstan
2008 Beijing
details
Bryan Clay
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Andrei Krauchanka
Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus
Leonel Suárez
Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba
2012 London
details
Ashton Eaton
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Trey Hardee
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Leonel Suárez
Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba
2016 Rio De Janeiro
details
Ashton Eaton
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Kevin Mayer
Flag of France.svg  France
Damian Warner
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2020 Tokyo
details
Damian Warner
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Kevin Mayer
Flag of France.svg  France
Ashley Moloney
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
2024 Paris
details
Markus Rooth
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Leo Neugebauer
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Lindon Victor
Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada

Multiple medalists

RankAthleteNationOlympicsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1= Bob Mathias Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1948–19522002
1= Daley Thompson Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)1980–19842002
1= Ashton Eaton Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2008–20162002
4= Milt Campbell Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1952–19561102
4= Rafer Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1956–19601102
4= Roman Šebrle Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic  (CZE)2000–20041102
4= Bryan Clay Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2004–20081102
8= Mykola Avilov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)1972–19761012
8= Damian Warner Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)2016–20201012
10= Akilles Järvinen Flag of Finland.svg  Finland  (FIN)1928–19320202
10= Kevin Mayer Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)2016–20200202
12 Hans-Joachim Walde Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  United Team of Germany  (EUA)
1964–19680112
13= Floyd Simmons Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1948–19520022
13= Vasili Kuznetsov Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)1956–19600022
13= Leonel Suárez Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba  (CUB)2008–20120022

Medals by country

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)148729
2=Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)2002
2=Flag of Norway.svg  Norway  (NOR)2002
4Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union  (URS)1348
5Flag of Germany.svg  Germany  (GER) [nb] 1225
6Flag of Finland.svg  Finland  (FIN)1203
7Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)1124
8Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic  (CZE)1113
9Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)1102
10Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)1023
11Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia  (EST)1012
12Flag of Czechoslovakia.svg  Czechoslovakia  (TCH)1001
13Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)0325
14Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)0303
15=Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus  (BLR)0101
15=Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei  (TPE)0101
15=Flag of Spain.svg  Spain  (ESP)0101
18Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba  (CUB)0022
19=Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan  (KAZ)0011
19=Flag of Poland.svg  Poland  (POL)0011
19=Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)0011
19=Flag of Grenada.svg  Grenada  (GRN)0011

Women's heptathlon

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1984 Los Angeles
details
Glynis Nunn
Flag of Australia.svg  Australia
Jackie Joyner
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Sabine Everts
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
1988 Seoul
details
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Sabine John
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Anke Behmer
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
1992 Barcelona
details
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Irina Belova
Olympic flag.svg  Unified Team
Sabine Braun
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
1996 Atlanta
details
Ghada Shouaa
Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg  Syria
Natallia Sazanovich
Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus
Denise Lewis
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
2000 Sydney
details
Denise Lewis
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Yelena Prokhorova
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Natallia Sazanovich
Flag of Belarus (1995-2012).svg  Belarus
2004 Athens
details
Carolina Klüft
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Austra Skujytė
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania
Kelly Sotherton
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
2008 Beijing
details
Nataliya Dobrynska
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
Hyleas Fountain
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Kelly Sotherton
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
2012 London
details
Jessica Ennis
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Lilli Schwarzkopf
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Austra Skujytė
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Nafissatou Thiam
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Brianne Theisen-Eaton
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
2020 Tokyo
details
Nafissatou Thiam
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Anouk Vetter
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
Emma Oosterwegel
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands
2024 Paris
details
Nafissatou Thiam
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Katarina Johnson-Thompson
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Noor Vidts
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium

Multiple medalists

Seven women have won multiple medals in Olympic heptathlon, while an eighth achieved this feat in the earlier Olympic Pentathlon. Of these, only Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Nafissatou Thiam have won three medals. Only Nafissatou Thiam won three titles.

RankAthleteNationOlympicsGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Nafissatou Thiam Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium  (BEL)2016–20243003
2 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1984–19922103
3 Jessica Ennis Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)2012–20161102
4 Denise Lewis Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)1996–20001012
5= Natallia Sazanovich Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus  (BLR)1996–20000112
Austra Skujytė Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania  (LTU)2004–20120112
7 Kelly Sotherton Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)2004–20080022
[b] Burglinde Pollak Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)1972–19760022
  1. Jenner is now known as Caitlyn due to gender transition in 2015. [6]
  2. Pentathlon medalist

Medals by country

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium  (BEL)3014
2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)2237
3Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2204
4=Flag of Australia.svg  Australia  (AUS)1001
4=Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden  (SWE)1001
4=Flag of Syria.svg  Syria  (SYR)1001
4=Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine  (UKR)1001
8=Flag of Russia.svg  Russia  (RUS)0112
8=Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus  (BLR)0112
8=Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)0112
8=Flag of Germany.svg  Germany  (GER)0112
8=Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania  (LTU)0112
8=Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands  (NED)0112
14Olympic flag.svg  Unified Team  (EUN)0101
15=Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)0011
15=Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany  (FRG)0011

Defunct events

Men's all-around

Consisted of 100 yards, shot put, high jump, 880 yd walk, hammer throw, pole vault, 120 yd hurdles, weight throw, long jump and mile run.

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1904 St. Louis
details
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Tom Kiely  (GBR)US flag 45 stars.svg  Adam Gunn  (USA)US flag 45 stars.svg  Truxtun Hare  (USA)

Men's triathlon

Consisted of long jump, shot put, and 100 yards.

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1904 St. Louis
details
US flag 45 stars.svg  Max Emmerich  (USA)US flag 45 stars.svg  John Grieb  (USA)US flag 45 stars.svg  William Merz  (USA)

Men's pentathlon

Consisted of long jump, javelin throw, 200 metres, discus throw, and 1500 metres. Eero Lehtonen was the most successful athlete in the event's three-edition history, winning two of the three gold medals on offer and being the only person to reach the podium twice.

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1912 Stockholm
details
Jim Thorpe
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Ferdinand Bie
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
James Donahue
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Frank Lukeman
Flag of Canada (1868-1921).svg  Canada
1920 Antwerp
details
Eero Lehtonen
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Everett Bradley
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States
Hugo Lahtinen
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
1924 Paris
details
Eero Lehtonen
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Elemér Somfay
Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946; 3-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary
Robert LeGendre
US flag 48 stars.svg  United States

Women's pentathlon

Consisted of 100 metres hurdles, shot put, high jump, long jump, and 200 metres. In 1980, the 200 metres was replaced by the 800 metres. Burglinde Pollak, a bronze medalist in 1972 and 1976, was the only woman to win two Olympic pentathlon medals during its five-edition history.

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1964 Tokyo
details
Irina Press
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Mary Rand
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Galina Bystrova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
1968 Mexico City
details
Ingrid Becker
Flag of the German Olympic Team (1960-1968).svg  West Germany
Liese Prokop
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria
Annamária Tóth
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
1972 Munich
details
Mary Peters
Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain
Heide Rosendahl
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany
Burglinde Pollak
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
1976 Montreal
details
Siegrun Siegl
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Christine Laser
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Burglinde Pollak
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
1980 Moscow
details
Nadiya Tkachenko
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Olga Rukavishnikova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Olga Kuragina
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union

Intercalated Games

The 1906 Intercalated Games were held in Athens and at the time were officially recognised as part of the Olympic Games series, with the intention being to hold a games in Greece in two-year intervals between the internationally held Olympics. However, this plan never came to fruition and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later decided not to recognise these games as part of the official Olympic series. Some sports historians continue to treat the results of these games as part of the Olympic canon. [7]

No strictly track and field combined event featured on the programme, as happened at the 1904 Summer Olympics, but the Greeks introduced a variation of the Ancient Olympic pentathlon. This contained four track and field events – standing long jump, ancient-style discus throw, javelin throw and a stadion race (192 m) – with the final event being Greco-Roman wrestling. [8]

American Martin Sheridan was the initial favourite, having already won gold and silver medals in individual jump and throws events, but dropped out due to injury. Lawson Robertson and István Mudin each won two of the rounds (Robertson the long jump and stadion, Mudin the discus and wrestling), but it was Sweden's Hjalmar Mellander who won the gold medal with 24 points. The Swede never finished in the top two of a round, but he performed consistently, never below seventh place in the 27-man field. Mudin of Hungary took a close second place with 25 points. [8] Third place was taken by another Swede, Eric Lemming, who later went on to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the javelin throw. [9]

GamesGoldSilverBronze
1906 Athens
details
Flag of Sweden (pre-1906).svg  Hjalmar Mellander  (SWE)Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  István Mudin  (HUN)Flag of Sweden (pre-1906).svg  Eric Lemming  (SWE)

Notes

    References

    Participation and athlete data
    Olympic record progressions
    Specific
    1. Athletics at the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games: Men's Decathlon. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-05-23.
    2. 12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009 Archived August 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (pages 546, 559–60, 649). IAAF (2009). Retrieved on 2011-05-07.
    3. Bryan Clay claims decathlon gold, title as world's greatest athlete
    4. Bryan Clay Wins Olympic Decathlon Gold, World's Greatest Athlete Is an American
    5. Jim Thorpe. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-05-23.
    6. Buzz Bissinger (June 1, 2015). "Introducing Caitlyn Jenner". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
    7. 1906 Athina Summer Games. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-02-07.
    8. 1 2 Athletics at the 1906 Athina Summer Games: Men's Pentathlon (Ancient). Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-05-22.
    9. Eric Lemming. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2014-05-22.