The decathlon is a combined event in athletics that consists of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" is derived from the Greek words "deka," meaning "ten," and "athlos," meaning "contest" or "prize". The event developed from the ancient pentathlon competitions held at the ancient Greek Olympics, which involved five disciplines: long jump, discus throw, javelin throw, sprint, and wrestling. The modern decathlon was first held in 1911, with the inaugural Olympic Games decathlon taking place in 1912.
In the decathlon, participants compete in the following events over two consecutive days:
Day 1:
- 100-meter dash
- Running long (broad) jump
- Shot put
- High jump
- 400-meter run
Day 2:
- 110-meter hurdles
- Discus throw
- Pole vault
- Javelin throw
- 1,500-meter run
The winners of the decathlon are determined by their combined performance in all ten events, with performance judged on a points system in each event, not by the position achieved. Athletes are allowed one false start in the track events, and a second false start leads to disqualification. In the shot put, long jump, and javelin throw, all athletes are limited to three attempts. If athletes end the competition tied on points, a joint winner is declared.
