Last Updated on November 21, 2011 by Jimson Lee
What the heck is an Icosathlon?
The icosathlon is simply a Double Decathlon, formerly known as the “Double Deca”.
When you think about it, Track and Field has 19 events without relays. So what’s the 20th event? A 800 meter race walk which was held in the original Decathlon?
Nope, it’s the 200m low hurdles (3rd event in Day 1). I guess the founder of the double deca disliked race walkers. (I’ll bet over half the readers share the same sentiment!) Then again, race walking isn’t a “track” event… it’s usually lumped in the same criteria as non-stadia events like the 10K, Marathon and cross country.
Of course, the Double Deca ends with the 10,000 meters on the track. I don’t know about you but I can’t imagine running a 1500m (day 2 event #8), then taking 3 Triple Jumps (event #9), followed by the 10K… 25 laps around the track! 3.75 laps is enough, thank you very much.
Here is the schedule, with a 1 hour “lunch break” after 5 events:
Double Deca Day 1
- 100 meters
- Long Jump
- 200 meter low hurdles
- Shot Put
- 5000 meters
- 800 meters
- High Jump
- 400 meters
- Hammer Throw
- 3000 meter Steeplechase
Double Deca Day 2
- 110 meter hurdles
- Discus Throw
- 200 meters
- Pole Vault
- 3000 meters
- 400 meter hurdles
- Javelin Throw
- 1500 meters
- Triple Jump
- 10,000 meters
Women’s events include the pole vault, steeplechase and hammer throw, something that was impossible 10 years ago.
The world record for the standard icosathlon is held by Kip Janvrin with 14,185 points and Kelly Rodmell with 11091 for men’s and women’s respectively.
What the heck is a Tetradecathlon ?
There is also an indoor single day Tetradecathlon based on the indoor heptathlon:
- 60m
- Long Jump
- 800m
- Shot Put
- 400m
- High Jump
- 3000m
- 60mH
- Pole Vault
- 1500
- Weight throw
- 200m
- Triple Jump
- 5000m
Insane.
And yes, single day icosathlons do exists!
instead of those 8 run categories ( 100 meters 5000 meters 800 meters 400 meter 200 meters 3000 eters 1500 meters 10,000 meters)
they could have removed some and included standing jump (high, or long)
double decatlhon have 8 categories and it doenst include ultramarathon one.
I would include (talking about only non hurdles and etc… here)
50 metres
1500 m
marathon
10,000 m
utlra marathon