Here's my top 3:
1.pole vault
2.110 hurdles
3.javelin
Here's my top 3:
1.pole vault
2.110 hurdles
3.javelin
i think jumping would be a little more important than hurdling or jav, but i certainly agree with you on the PV.
mrpantsman8888 wrote:
i think jumping would be a little more important than hurdling or jav, but i certainly agree with you on the PV.
The reason I think hurdlers and javelin throwers make good decathletes is because both of those events require very good technique to be successful. That said, even if someone isn't extraordinarily fast, they can make up for that with good technique especially in events like the long jump. Just look at how many high schoolers run sub 10.50 in the 100 every year. Then look at how many high schoolers jumped 25+ feet every year. You'll find there are a lot less athletes that achieve the latter. Then look at the world decathlon list and see how many of them have jumped over 25 feet and how many ran under 10.50 in the 100. You'll be hard pressed to find 5 guys on that list under 10.50 yet you'll find bunches of guys over 25 feet.
Pole Vault
Pole Vault requires speed and upper body strength.
Speed is required for the running events, upper body strength is required for the throws.
Well, so last year's decathlon list doesn't show this phenomenon very well with 3 guys breaking 10.50 and 6 guys jumping 25+ feet. But looking at the all-time list, only 5 guys broke 10.50 and 32 guys jumped 25+ feet.
Pole vault...it's the event that keeps a lot of people from becoming decathletes
The decathlon i one event with 10 parts. If you consider yourself on or the other chances are that you are going in with the wrong mindset from the beginning.
dec wrote:
The decathlon i one event with 10 parts. If you consider yourself on or the other chances are that you are going in with the wrong mindset from the beginning.
OK, but most athletes(before they become decathletes) start out focusing on one or two main events. I'm just asking which type of track athlete is most likely to succeed in the decathlon.
What did Bryan Clay do first? Trey Hardee? Do that a few more times with top guys from various eras and I bet you'll have the answer.
100 metres
Off that you get the 110h, 400m, long jump
The throws also suit an explosive type ie sprinter as does the PV
Not much left over
If I'm a college coach looking for kids to make into multi guys I'd go for the pole vaulter. If you have a good vaulter that means you have a kid with speed, upper body strength, the athleticism to learn a technically difficult event, and the fearlessness needed to be upside down at the mercy of a bent pole. Add those things together and you have a strong, fast, ballsy athlete who will compete well over the two days and is athletic enough to pick up the technique of the other events.
edumacator wrote:
What did Bryan Clay do first? Trey Hardee? Do that a few more times with top guys from various eras and I bet you'll have the answer.
Clay ran the 100 and 200 and long jumped. Hardee started out as a pole vaulter. As another example of pole vaulters making good decathletes, Oregon threw vaulter Tommy Skipper in the dec at Pac-10s in 2004 having never done one before. He won with a score of 7,589. Also, Tim Bright was a very good decathlete with a pr of 8,340. He also vaulted 19 feet.
Guy Drut was an okay hurdler (OG gold and silver), but was also a 17-foot vaulter (about 40 years ago, so very competitive). He gave the dec a semi-serious shot after winning the 76 OG 110H, but--as an alleged pack-a-day guy--was done in by the 1500.