Combined events at the Olympics

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).

Combined events
at the Olympic Games
Men competing in the 1500 m of the 1948 Olympic decathlon
Overview
SportAthletics
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
Men Markus Rooth (NOR)
Women Nafissatou Thiam (BEL)

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 along side 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

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Men's decathlon

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

Multiple medalists

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Rank Athlete Nation Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total
1= Bob Mathias   United States (USA) 1948–1952 2 0 0 2
1= Daley Thompson   Great Britain (GBR) 1980–1984 2 0 0 2
1= Ashton Eaton   United States (USA) 2008–2016 2 0 0 2
4= Milt Campbell   United States (USA) 1952–1956 1 1 0 2
4= Rafer Johnson   United States (USA) 1956–1960 1 1 0 2
4= Roman Šebrle   Czech Republic (CZE) 2000–2004 1 1 0 2
4= Bryan Clay   United States (USA) 2004–2008 1 1 0 2
8= Mykola Avilov   Soviet Union (URS) 1972–1976 1 0 1 2
8= Damian Warner   Canada (CAN) 2016–2020 1 0 1 2
10= Akilles Järvinen   Finland (FIN) 1928–1932 0 2 0 2
10= Kevin Mayer   France (FRA) 2016–2020 0 2 0 2
12 Hans-Joachim Walde   West Germany (FRG)
  United Team of Germany (EUA)
1964–1968 0 1 1 2
13= Floyd Simmons   United States (USA) 1948–1952 0 0 2 2
13= Vasili Kuznetsov   Soviet Union (URS) 1956–1960 0 0 2 2
13= Leonel Suárez   Cuba (CUB) 2008–2012 0 0 2 2

Medals by country

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Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1   United States (USA) 14 8 7 29
2=   Great Britain (GBR) 2 0 0 2
2=   Norway (NOR) 2 0 0 2
4   Soviet Union (URS) 1 3 4 8
5   Germany (GER)[nb] 1 2 2 5
6   Finland (FIN) 1 2 0 3
7   Sweden (SWE) 1 1 2 4
8   Czech Republic (CZE) 1 1 1 3
9   East Germany (GDR) 1 1 0 2
10   Canada (CAN) 1 0 2 3
11   Estonia (EST) 1 0 1 2
12   Czechoslovakia (TCH) 1 0 0 1
13   West Germany (FRG) 0 3 2 5
14   France (FRA) 0 3 0 3
15=   Belarus (BLR) 0 1 0 1
15=   Republic of China (ROC) 0 1 0 1
15=   Spain (ESP) 0 1 0 1
18   Cuba (CUB) 0 0 2 2
19=   Kazakhstan (KAZ) 0 0 1 1
19=   Poland (POL) 0 0 1 1
19=   Australia (AUS) 0 0 1 1
19=   Grenada (GRN) 0 0 1 1

Women's heptathlon

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Games Gold Silver Bronze
1984 Los Angeles
details
Glynis Nunn
  Australia
Jackie Joyner
  United States
Sabine Everts
  West Germany
1988 Seoul
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Jackie Joyner-Kersee
  United States
Sabine John
  East Germany
Anke Behmer
  East Germany
1992 Barcelona
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Jackie Joyner-Kersee
  United States
Irina Belova
  Unified Team
Sabine Braun
  Germany
1996 Atlanta
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Ghada Shouaa
  Syria
Natallia Sazanovich
  Belarus
Denise Lewis
  Great Britain
2000 Sydney
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Denise Lewis
  Great Britain
Yelena Prokhorova
  Russia
Natallia Sazanovich
  Belarus
2004 Athens
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Carolina Klüft
  Sweden
Austra Skujytė
  Lithuania
Kelly Sotherton
  Great Britain
2008 Beijing
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Nataliya Dobrynska
  Ukraine
Hyleas Fountain
  United States
Kelly Sotherton
  Great Britain
2012 London
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Jessica Ennis
  Great Britain
Lilli Schwarzkopf
  Germany
Austra Skujytė
  Lithuania
2016 Rio de Janeiro
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Nafissatou Thiam
  Belgium
Jessica Ennis-Hill
  Great Britain
Brianne Theisen-Eaton
  Canada
2020 Tokyo
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Nafissatou Thiam
  Belgium
Anouk Vetter
  Netherlands
Emma Oosterwegel
  Netherlands
2024 Paris
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Nafissatou Thiam
  Belgium
Katarina Johnson-Thompson
  Great Britain
Noor Vidts
  Belgium

Multiple medalists

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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.

Rank Athlete Nation Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Nafissatou Thiam   Belgium (BEL) 2016–2024 3 0 0 3
2 Jackie Joyner-Kersee   United States (USA) 1984–1992 2 1 0 3
3 Jessica Ennis   Great Britain (GBR) 2012–2016 1 1 0 2
4 Denise Lewis   Great Britain (GBR) 1996–2000 1 0 1 2
5= Natallia Sazanovich   Belarus (BLR) 1996–2000 0 1 1 2
Austra Skujytė   Lithuania (LTU) 2004–2012 0 1 1 2
7 Kelly Sotherton   Great Britain (GBR) 2004–2008 0 0 2 2
[b] Burglinde Pollak   East Germany (GDR) 1972–1976 0 0 2 2
  1. ^ Jenner is now known as Caitlyn due to gender transition in 2015.[6]
  2. ^ Pentathlon medalist

Medals by country

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Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1   Belgium (BEL) 3 0 1 4
2   Great Britain (GBR) 2 2 3 7
3   United States (USA) 2 2 0 4
4=   Australia (AUS) 1 0 0 1
4=   Sweden (SWE) 1 0 0 1
4=   Syria (SYR) 1 0 0 1
4=   Ukraine (UKR) 1 0 0 1
8=   Russia (RUS) 0 1 1 2
8=   Belarus (BLR) 0 1 1 2
8=   East Germany (GDR) 0 1 1 2
8=   Germany (GER) 0 1 1 2
8=   Lithuania (LTU) 0 1 1 2
8=   Netherlands (NED) 0 1 1 2
14   Unified Team (EUN) 0 1 0 1
15=   Canada (CAN) 0 0 1 1
15=   West Germany (FRG) 0 0 1 1

Defunct events

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Men's all-around

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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.

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1904 St. Louis
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  Tom Kiely (GBR)   Adam Gunn (USA)   Truxtun Hare (USA)

Men's triathlon

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

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1904 St. Louis
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  Max Emmerich (USA)   John Grieb (USA)   William Merz (USA)

Men's pentathlon

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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.

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1912 Stockholm
details
Jim Thorpe
  United States
Ferdinand Bie
  Norway
James Donahue
  United States
Frank Lukeman
  Canada
1920 Antwerp
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Eero Lehtonen
  Finland
Everett Bradley
  United States
Hugo Lahtinen
  Finland
1924 Paris
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Eero Lehtonen
  Finland
Elemér Somfay
  Hungary
Robert LeGendre
  United States

Women's pentathlon

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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.

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1964 Tokyo
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Irina Press
  Soviet Union
Mary Rand
  Great Britain
Galina Bystrova
  Soviet Union
1968 Mexico City
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Ingrid Becker
  West Germany
Liese Prokop
  Austria
Annamária Tóth
  Hungary
1972 Munich
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Mary Peters
  Great Britain
Heide Rosendahl
  West Germany
Burglinde Pollak
  East Germany
1976 Montreal
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Siegrun Siegl
  East Germany
Christine Laser
  East Germany
Burglinde Pollak
  East Germany
1980 Moscow
details
Nadiya Tkachenko
  Soviet Union
Olga Rukavishnikova
  Soviet Union
Olga Kuragina
  Soviet Union

Intercalated Games

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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]

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1906 Athens
details
  Hjalmar Mellander (SWE)   István Mudin (HUN)   Eric Lemming (SWE)

Notes

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References

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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. ^ a b 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.
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