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decathlon

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

decathlon , in modern Olympic games , a contest for men held over two days and composed of 10 track-and-field events. It consists of the long jump; the high jump; the discus throw; the shot putt; the javelin throw; the 100-, 400-, and 1,500-meter races; the 110-meter hurdle race; and the pole vault. The decathlon became an Olympic event in 1912. The winner is popularly regarded as the "world's greatest athlete;" noted among these are the Americans Jim Thorpe, Bob Mathias, and Bruce Jenner and the British Daley Thompson. The ancient pentathlon , a five-event contest, resembled the modern decathlon.

The heptathlon is the equivalent modern event for women, consisting of seven track-and-field events. Begun as an Olympic pentathlon in 1964, it was expanded in 1984 and now includes the long jump; the high jump; the shot put; the javelin throw; the 200- and 800-meter races; and the 100-meter hurdles. Like the decathlon, the heptathlon is held over two days. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who dominated the heptathlon during the 1990s, is the best-known athlete in the event's relatively short history.

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decathlon

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

de·cath·lon / diˈka[unvoicedth](ə)ˌlän/ • n. an athletic event in which each competitor takes part in the same ten events (100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1,500-meter run). DERIVATIVES: de·cath·lete / -ˈka[unvoicedth](ə)ˌlēt/ n.

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decathlon

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Copyright

decathlon Sports event comprising ten different track and field activities: 100m, long jump, shot-put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m. It is an Olympic event.

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decathlon

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

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