- New builders in the decathlon on gold course - Kaul far behind
Favourite Leo Neugebauer sets sights on Olympic decathlon gold. After a strong start in the 100m sprint and long jump, the 24-year-old took the lead at the Stade de France after the third event.
16.55 meters in the shot put was the second-best distance in the competition. With 2,876 points, the world's best this year has a 78-point lead over Tokyo Olympic champion Damian Warner from Canada. Third is Ayden Owens-Delerme from Puerto Rico with 2,786 points.
As the world number one, Neugebauer is the top candidate for gold. At last year's World Championships in Budapest, he slipped from first place at halfway to fifth. In Saint-Denis, north of Paris, the athlete starting for VfB Stuttgart aims to avoid a repeat.
Kaul loses ground
For former world and European champion Niklas Kaul, the medals are still far away. He saves his strongest events for the second day of competition. In the first three events, the 26-year-old struggled repeatedly, with the athlete from USC Mainz clearly aiming for more. With 2,364 points, he is currently 21st out of 22 decathletes.
The third German starter, Till Steinforth, is doing well. After three events, Steinforth has 2,658 points and is tenth. The 22-year-old all-around athlete from SV Halle is replacing the late withdrawal of Manuel Eitel, who had to pull out due to a COVID-19 infection.
Sad Mayer not starting
Decathlon world record holder Kevin Mayer cannot compete in the ring spectacle in his French homeland. After a fitness test on Thursday, he had to withdraw due to the consequences of a thigh injury. Earlier, world champion Pierce LePage from Canada also had to withdraw from the Olympics.
Leo Neugebauer, who recently built up his form, is aiming to maintain his lead in the decathlon at Stade de France. Despite slipping from first place at the World Championships last year, he aims to avoid a repeat and secure the gold medal.
The newly built stadium facilities have been a significant boost for Leo Neugebauer's preparation for the Olympic decathlon, providing him with optimal training conditions.
