In an uncharacteristic performance, eight-time defending champion Damian Warner finished sixth in the decathlon at the 50th Hypo Meeting in Götzis, Austria, with 8,527 points—down from his 2023 winning score of 8,678. Canadian teammate and 2023 winner Pierce LePage had an unfortunate end to his weekend, exiting the competition after a hurdle incident involving Switzerland’s Simon Ehammer.
Sander Skotheim won the prestigious event with a Norwegian record and world-leading 8,909 points, ahead of the United States’ Kyle Garland (8,626) and Ehammer (8,575), who set a national record.
Warner, who was fifth after Saturday’s five events with 4,424 points, briefly moved to fifth entering the final event, the 1,500 metres, but finished with 4:38.44, well off his personal best of 4:24.73. He posted a season-best 13.76 seconds in the 110m hurdles and managed 47.34m in discus, 62.30m in javelin, but struggled in the pole vault with a 4.70m result after three misses at 4.80m.
LePage, coming off back surgery and missing the 2024 Paris Olympics, was 11th at the halfway mark with 4,315 points. He exited after a fall in the hurdles caused by a dislodged barrier, despite clocking 14.59 seconds in a re-run. He had thrown 47.15m in discus before withdrawing.
LePage’s 2023 season included becoming the first Canadian world decathlon champion and breaking Warner’s Hypo Meeting win streak. The Hypo Meeting is the most significant multi-event competition outside the Olympics and World Championships and a key milestone ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Swifteradio.com
