Canada’s Damian Warner has some work to do if he wants to claim his second Olympic decathlon title in a row.
The London, Ont. native slipped into second place after a disappointing shot put on Friday in the third of 10 disciplines.
Warner was 13th in the shot put, allowing Germany’s Leo Neugebauer to overtake him for first overall. The German was second in the shot put.
The two-time reigning NCAA champion at the University of Texas, Neugebauer is considered one of Warner’s main threats for the title after French world-record holder Kevin Mayer dropped out with a hamstring injury on Thursday.
Warner was first in the 100 metres and fourth in the long jump.
Neugebauer has 2,876 points, while Warner has 2,798. The Canadian is behind his pace from Tokyo in 2021 when he won gold.
The decathlon continues with the high jump at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT.
Canadian decathlete Damian Warner is currently sitting in second place after three events in the Olympic decathlon. The 31-year-old athlete from London, Ontario has been a dominant force in the decathlon world for years, and he is looking to add an Olympic gold medal to his already impressive resume.
Warner got off to a strong start in the decathlon, finishing second in the 100m with a time of 10.12 seconds. He followed that up with a solid performance in the long jump, where he jumped 7.79 meters to finish in fourth place. In the shot put, Warner threw a distance of 14.80 meters, which was good enough for sixth place.
Despite facing tough competition from athletes like Kevin Mayer of France and Maicel Uibo of Estonia, Warner remains focused and determined to give it his all in the remaining seven events of the decathlon. The decathlon is a grueling two-day event that tests an athlete’s speed, strength, and endurance across ten different disciplines, including the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 1500m.
Warner’s strong start in the decathlon puts him in a good position to contend for a medal at the Tokyo Olympics. He will need to continue to perform at a high level in the remaining events if he hopes to secure a spot on the podium. With his experience and talent, Warner has a good chance of making Canada proud and bringing home a medal in the decathlon.
As fans eagerly watch Warner’s progress in the decathlon, they can expect to see him push himself to the limit and give it his all in pursuit of Olympic glory. With his determination and skill, Damian Warner has the potential to make history and cement his legacy as one of Canada’s greatest decathletes.