Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon explained

Event:Men's Decathlon
Games:1968 Summer
Venue:Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City
Dates:18 & 19 October
Competitors:33
Nations:20
Longnames:yes
Win Label:Winning score
Win Value:8311
Gold:Bill Toomey
Goldnoc:USA
Silver:Hans-Joachim Walde
Silvernoc:FRG
Bronze:Kurt Bendlin
Bronzenoc:FRG
Prev:1964
Next:1972

The men's decathlon competition featured as part of the athletics programme at the 1968 Summer Olympics and was held at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City on 18 and 19 October.

American Bill Toomey won the gold medal with an Olympic record score of 8193 points. Two West German athletes, Hans-Joachim Walde and Kurt Bendlin, took the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

A total of 33 competitors from 20 nations entered the decathlon with 19 athletes managing to finish all events at the competition.[1]

The ten-event track and field competition used hand timing in the track events and was scored using the 1962 scoring method. The youngest competitor was Don Vélez (aged 20) and the oldest was Valbjörn Þorláksson (aged 34). The sixth-placer Tom Waddell, representing the United States, later went on to found the Gay Olympics.[1]

Schedule

DateRound
Friday, 18 October 1968 100 metres
Long jump
Shot put
High jump
400 metres
Saturday, 19 October 1968 110 metres hurdles
Discus throw
Pole vault
Javelin throw
1500 metres

Overall summary

RankAthleteOverall points100 mLJSPHJ400 m110 m HDTPVJT1500 m
8193 WDB
8111
8064
47909
57861
67719w
77692
87648
97554w
107551
117481
127465w
137338
147209w
157173
167125
177044
186323
195943
DNF (7227)w
DNF
DNFw
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Athletics at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Games: Men's Decathlon . https://web.archive.org/web/20200417175434/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1968/ATH/mens-decathlon.html . dead . 17 April 2020 . 26 January 2018 . sports-reference.com.