The world decathlon record-holder sets a world-leading 8552 points
Kevin Mayer achieved a qualifying mark for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, scoring a world-leading 8552 points to win the decathlon at the Meeting de la Réunion on Saturday.
France’s world record-holder claimed a clear win in what was the opening competition of the 2021 World Athletics Challenge – Combined Events series, which was taking place on the French overseas island of Réunion in the western Indian Ocean, located between Madagascar and Mauritius.
Taavi Tsernjavski of Estonia was second with 8030 points.
Mayer was returning to decathlon action for the first time since withdrawing during the world championships in Doha. He had been leading the competition there but was forced to pull out due to injury during the pole vault.
Mayer started his Réunion competition on Friday by running 10.68 for he 100m and then leaping 7.40m in the long jump. He threw 16.20m in the shot put before clearing 1.97m in the high jump and clocking 48.87 in the 400m.
On day two he opened with a 13.54 PB to win the 110m hurdles and then threw 50.32m in the discus. He managed 4.75m in the pole vault and threw the javelin 67.76m, before closing with a time of 4:47.74 in the 1500m for a tally which surpasses the 8350-point Olympic qualifying standard.
It is also the fourth-best score of his career, behind his world record of 9126 points and the marks of 8834 and 8768 he achieved at the 2016 Olympics and 2017 world championships respectively.
— Kevin MAYER (@mayer_deca) December 19, 2020
The heptathlon in Réunion saw victory for Colombia’s Evelis Aguilar as she scored 6055 points to win ahead of Estonia’s Mari Klaup with 6014 points.
Austria’s Sara Lagger was third with 6010 points.
Aguilar had finished the first day in third place after clocking 14.02 in the hurdles, clearing 1.65m in the high jump, throwing 14.14m in the shot put and winning the 200m in 24.02.
On day two she recorded 6.12m in the long jump, threw 47.69m in the javelin and ran 2:21.75 in the 800m.
Results can be found here.
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