Zach Ziemek Explained

Zachery Ziemek
Birth Date:	February 23, 1993
Birth Place:	Itasca, Illinois, United States
Height:	6 ft 3 in^[1]
Sport:	Track and field
Event:	Decathlon
Education:	University of Wisconsin–Madison

Zachery (Zach) Ziemek (born February 23, 1993) is an American athlete competing in the decathlon. Ziemek won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene with a personal best score of 8676.^[2] In 2021 he finished 6th at the Tokyo Olympics.^[3] He represented his country at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, where he finished 15th. Ziemek finished 7th in the decathlon at the 2016 Olympics.^[4]

Career

At the 2020 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) Ziemek came third behind Garrett Scantling and Steve Bastien (athlete) with an Olympic qualifying score to earn a spot at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.^{[5] [6]} At the trials, Ziemek set the world record in the decathlon jumping events with performances of 7.74 in the long jump, 2.14 in the high jump, and 5.55 in the pole vault.^[7] Only three other men have ever gone higher in an 8000+pt decathlon: Erki Nool (5.60 m in his 8628, 1998), Aleksandr Averbukh (5.60 m in his 8084, 1997) and Timothy Bright (5.70 m in his 8216, 1988)^[8]

His main personal bests are 8471 points in the decathlon (Eugene 2021)^[9] and 6173 points in the indoor heptathlon (Birmingham 2016).

Ziemek resides in Sun Prairie, WI and trains at his alma mater the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is coached by Nate Davis, assistant coach for the Wisconsin track & field team. He is married to Victoria Paulson Ziemek.^[10]

Competition record

Representing the
2015	World Championships	Beijing, China	15th	Decathlon	8006 pts
2016	Olympic Games	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	7th	Decathlon	8392 pts
2017	World Championships	London, United Kingdom	–	Decathlon	DNF
2018	World Indoor Championships	Birmingham, United Kingdom	6th	Heptathlon	5941 pts
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	6th	Decathlon	8435 pts
2022	World Championships	Eugene, United States	3rd	Decathlon	8676 pts
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	—	Decathlon	DNF
2024	Olympic Games	Paris, France	17th	Decathlon	7983 pts

Personal bests

Outdoor

• 100 metres – 10.55 (0.0 m/s) (Tokyo 2021)
• 400 metres – 49.04 (Eugene 2016)
• 1500 metres – 4:40.05 (Athens 2021)^[11]
• 110 metres hurdles – 14.29 (+1.6 m/s) (Madison 2017)
• High jump – 2.14 (Eugene 2021)^[11]
• Pole vault – 5.55 (Eugene 2021)^[11]
• Long jump – 7.73 (+1.7 m/s) (Eugene 2014)
• Shot put – 14.99 (Tokyo 2021)
• Discus throw – 50.90 (Des Moines 2018)
• Javelin throw – 62.55 (Madison 2023)^[12]
• Decathlon – 8471 (Eugene 2021)^[11]

Indoor

• 60 metres – 6.75 (Birmingham 2016)
• 1000 metres – 2:48.25 (Geneva, OH 2013)
• 60 metres hurdles – 8.03 (Iowa City 2018)
• High jump – 2.06 (Geneva, OH 2013)
• Pole vault – 5.40 (Fayetteville 2013)
• Long jump – 7.48 (Birmingham 2016)
• Shot put – 14.53 (Birmingham 2016)
• Heptathlon – 6173 (Birmingham 2016)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Zach Ziemek | Men's Track & Field. Wisconsin Badgers.
2. Web site: Mayer regains world decathlon title in Oregon REPORT WCH 22 World Athletics . 2022-07-26 . worldathletics.org.
3. Web site: Zachery ZIEMEK Profile World Athletics . 2022-07-26 . www.worldathletics.org.
4. Web site: Zach Ziemek. Olympics.com.
5. Web site: The Latest: Scantling wins decathlon, off to Tokyo Games. AP. 21 June 2021. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624202043/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article252246718.html. 24 June 2021.
6. Web site: 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field.
7. Web site: All Time Decathlon Event Performances . decathlon2000.
8. Web site: Review: Ratingen and US Trials – the Virtual Thorpe Cup. 23 June 2021.
9. Web site: Zachery Ziemek . worldathletics.org.
10. Web site: Sun Prairie resident will return to Olympics. Ryan. Gregory. 15 July 2021. hngnews.com.
11. Web site: Zachery Ziemek | Profile | World Athletics.
12. Web site: Men's Javelin Throw . April 26, 2024 .