I find the decathlon an absolutely fascinating event. Far, far more than with triathlon and modern pentathlon, the ideal body type for the separate events of the decathlon varies so much. The dedicated shot putters don’t look anything like 1500 metre runners or pole vaulters. So the decathletes are necessarily a compromise who literally can’t be as good as the specialists—not just because of a lack of specialisation in training. I just find that fascinating.
I find the decathlon an absolutely fascinating event. Far, far more than with triathlon and modern pentathlon, the ideal body type for the separate events of the decathlon varies so much. The dedicated shot putters don’t look anything like 1500 metre runners or pole vaulters. So the decathletes are necessarily a compromise who literally can’t be as good as the specialists—not just because of a lack of specialisation in training. I just find that fascinating.