Heptathlon and decathlon leading contenders and predictions ahead of the 2024 Games

Here is your form guide to the decathlon and heptathlon at the Paris Olympics. Dont forget to follow our coverage of the Games on our website and social media channels.

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The below statistics first appeared in our monthly print magazine, which you can buy here. 

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Decathlon

Final: August 3

Defending champion/Olympic record: Damian Warner (CAN) 9018

World champion: Pierce LePage (CAN) 8909

World leader: Leo Neugebauer GER 8961

The 2024 rankings suggest a clear favourite, but many contenders qualified with their 2023 marks.

Top contenders

Leo Neugebauer (GER) (8961 in 2024)

The NCAA champion and world leader was only fifth in Budapest, but he has improved significantly since then.

Johannes Erm (EST) (8764 in 2024)

The European champion set a 260-point PB in Rome and he too has advanced since his ninth place in Budapest and 11th in Tokyo.

Damian Warner (CAN) (8678 in 2024)

The defending champion won in Götzis this year and will be challenging again in his fourth Olympics.

British Challenge: No Brits were near selection.

AW Prediction: 1 Neugebauer (GER) 8865; 2 Warner (CAN) 8812; 3 Erm (EST) 8756

Heptathlon

Final: August 9

Defending champion: Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) 6791

Olympic record: Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA) 7291, 1988

World champion: Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR) 6740

World leader: Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) 6848

Nafi Thiam stands out as a big favourite and has her sights set on winning what would be a record third consecutive title.

Top contenders

Nafissatou Thiam (BEL) (6848 in 2024)

The champion in Tokyo and Rio also has two titles to her name, won the European title in Rome and is dominant on the rankings front, too.

Anouk Vetter (NED) (6642 in 2024)

The Olympic silver medallist has also won three world medals and a Götzis victory proved she will again challenge for honours.

Auriana Lazraq-Khlass (FRA) (6635 in 2024)

Set a 400-point PB in taking European silver and, with home support, is bound to mount a big challenge.

Anna Hall (USA) (6614 in 2024)

Won the US Trials after coming back from injury but is a long way down on her 2023 form that produced a 6988 Götzis win and world silver.

British Challenge: The reigning world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson competes at her fourth Olympics after coming 13th, sixth and then having to withdraw in Tokyo with injury. Earlier this summer she withdrew partway through the European Champs heptathlon with a minor injury. Jade ODowda was seventh in Rome, a performance that secured selection.

Prediction: 1 Thiam (BEL) 6956; 2 Hall (USA) 6856; 3 Johnson-Thompson (GBR) 6687