Paris 2024 athletics: Markus Rooth wins Norway’s first decathlon gold in 104 years

Norway’s Markus Rooth produced a national record to claim the decathlon gold medal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Saturday, 3 August.

Rooth became the first Norwegian athlete to win the decathlon gold medal at the Olympic Games since Antwerp 1920.

The 22-year-old Rooth took a narrow lead in the penultimate event of the evening and consolidated his lead following the 1500m race for a winning score of 8,796 points.

Overnight leader Leo Neugebauer (8,748) of Germany settled for the silver medal, with Grenada’s Lindon Victor finishing third with 8,711.

Rooth crossed the line on the drenched purple track in a 1500m season’s best, which would have been enough to secure the title. But Rooth waited in agony for the final points to be tallied. Rooth roared with delight as the results flashed on the scoreboard.

The Norwegian rose to the occasion on a day of drama, which saw defending champion Damian Warner’s medal hopes vanish after failing to register a mark in the pole vault.

Neugebauer led the competition with 7,410 points after the completion of eight events, with only the javelin and 1500m to come.

But Rooth’s storming run over the two days came to a climactic conclusion, producing a fifth personal best of the Games with a heave of 66.87m in the javelin throw. The effort sent him to the top of the standings with just 16 points separating him from the second-placed Neugebauer.

Rooth did enough in the 1500m to consolidate his lead and secure his place in the combined event’s history.

Men’s decathlon podium:

Gold: Markus Rooth, Norway

Silver: Leo Neugebauer, Germany

Bronze: Lindon Victor, Grenada