Kaul wins world decathlon title as tearful champion Mayer bows out
Germany’s Niklas Kaul took advantage of the injury withdrawal of defending champion Kevin Mayer on Thursday to strike decathlon gold at the World Championships.
Kaul, in third place heading into the 1,500m, the last event of the gruelling 10-discipline test of athleticism, powered home to finish seven seconds clear and seal a winning total of 8,691 points.
Maicel Uibo of Estonia took silver with 8,604pts. Canada’s Damian Warner claimed bronze with 8,529pts. The complexion of the final had been altered dramatically earlier in the session when Mayer bowed out tearfully at the Khalifa Stadium. Mayer’s attempt to retain his title ended in the pole vault, the Frenchman exiting after two aborted jumps.
Mayer, who had taken the lead in the overall standings after the discus, fought back tears as he exited after pulling up on his second attempt. The Frenchman had been limping noticeably after the opening discipline of the night, the 110m hurdles, with a heavily strapped left ankle. However, he stormed back to register a strong performance in the discus, topping the round with his second throw of 48.34m. That saw him take the overall lead with 6,310 points, but his inability to register a jump in the pole vault ended his challenge.
“I am not okay, but it will be fine,” Mayer said afterwards. “It was disappointing because I was leading, but this is our sport.” Mayer revealed he had been troubled by a niggling injury to his right knee before suffering a hamstring injury on Thursday. With Mayer out, the gold was suddenly up for grabs.
Canada’s Pierce LePage took the lead after the pole vault, with Uibo and Warner in the silver and bronze positions. Kaul then moved into contention with a monster throw in the javelin of 79.05m to leave him just 19 points off the lead heading to the 1,500m, with Uibo in the gold medal position.
Kaul was in control throughout the 1,500m, moving into the lead with just under two laps to go and pulling away to bag 841pts for a winning margin of 87pts.
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | POINTS | 100 | LJ | SP | HJ | 400 | 110H | DT | PV | JT | 1500 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niklas KAUL |  GER |
8691 PB | Points Mark Overall |
801 11.27 (20) 801 (20) |
859 7.19 (16) 1660 (19) |
796 15.10 (11) 2456 (16) |
822 2.02 (9) 3278 (12) |
886 48.48 (8) 4164 (11) |
894 14.64 (14) 5058 (11) |
854 49.20 (1) 5912 (9) |
910 5.00 (6) 6822 (6) |
1028 79.05 (1) 7850 (3) |
841 4:15.70 (1) 8691 (1) |
| 2 | Maicel UIBO |  EST |
8604 PB | Points Mark Overall |
838 11.10 (16) 838 (16) |
925 7.46 (8) 1763 (12) |
797 15.12 (10) 2560 (9) |
963 2.17 (1) 3523 (5) |
794 50.44 (19) 4317 (6) |
920 14.43 (9) 5237 (6) |
801 46.64 (8) 6038 (5) |
1035 5.40 (1) 7073 (3) |
796 63.83 (3) 7869 (1) |
735 4:31.51 (3) 8604 (2) |
| 3 | Damian WARNER |  CAN |
8529 | Points Mark Overall |
1011 10.35 (1) 1011 (1) |
977 7.67 (2) 1988 (2) |
800 15.17 (8) 2788 (2) |
822 2.02 (11) 3610 (2) |
903 48.12 (5) 4513 (1) |
1032 13.56 (1) 5545 (1) |
709 42.19 (20) 6254 (2) |
819 4.70 (15) 7073 (3) |
781 62.87 (5) 7854 (2) |
675 4:40.77 (9) 8529 (3) |
| 4 | Ilya SHKURENYOV |  ANA |
8494 SB | Points Mark Overall |
856 11.02 (15) 856 (15) |
962 7.61 (3) 1818 (6) |
772 14.71 (13) 2590 (7) |
906 2.11 (2) 3496 (6) |
844 49.36 (15) 4340 (5) |
939 14.28 (8) 5279 (5) |
844 48.75 (2) 6123 (4) |
972 5.20 (5) 7095 (2) |
731 59.56 (10) 7826 (4) |
668 4:41.95 (11) 8494 (4) |
| 5 | Pierce LEPAGE | CAN |
8445 | Points Mark Overall |
1008 10.36 (2) 1008 (2) |
1007 7.79 (1) 2015 (1) |
680 13.21 (21) 2695 (4) |
850 2.05 (4) 3545 (4) |
941 47.35 (1) 4486 (2) |
950 14.19 (6) 5436 (3) |
689 41.19 (21) 6125 (3) |
972 5.20 (4) 7097 (1) |
699 57.42 (14) 7796 (5) |
649 4:45.09 (15) 8445 (5) |
| 6 | Janek ÕIGLANE | EST |
8297 SB | Points Mark Overall |
874 10.94 (13) 874 (12) |
891 7.32 (11) 1765 (11) |
802 15.20 (7) 2567 (8) |
767 1.96 (15) 3334 (10) |
855 49.14 (13) 4189 (10) |
834 15.13 (19) 5023 (14) |
733 43.37 (18) 5756 (14) |
910 5.00 (6) 6666 (10) |
927 72.46 (2) 7593 (6) |
704 4:36.24 (7) 8297 (6) |
| 7 | Pieter BRAUN |  NED |
8222 | Points Mark Overall |
825 11.16 (19) 825 (19) |
927 7.47 (6) 1752 (15) |
806 15.26 (5) 2558 (10) |
822 2.02 (12) 3380 (8) |
871 48.79 (11) 4251 (9) |
900 14.59 (12) 5151 (8) |
779 45.59 (12) 5930 (8) |
849 4.80 (13) 6779 (7) |
735 59.84 (9) 7514 (7) |
708 4:35.62 (6) 8222 (7) |
| 8 | Solomon SIMMONS |  USA |
8151 | Points Mark Overall |
929 10.70 (5) 929 (5) |
903 7.37 (9) 1832 (5) |
810 15.33 (4) 2642 (5) |
767 1.96 (16) 3409 (7) |
847 49.31 (14) 4256 (8) |
962 14.10 (4) 5218 (7) |
793 46.26 (10) 6011 (6) |
849 4.80 (14) 6860 (5) |
637 53.25 (18) 7497 (8) |
654 4:44.17 (14) 8151 (8) |
| 9 | Thomas VAN DER PLAETSEN |  BEL |
8125 | Points Mark Overall |
778 11.38 (21) 778 (21) |
862 7.20 (15) 1640 (20) |
715 13.78 (19) 2355 (21) |
878 2.08 (3) 3233 (17) |
774 50.89 (20) 4007 (19) |
874 14.80 (17) 4881 (18) |
791 46.17 (11) 5672 (16) |
1004 5.30 (2) 6676 (9) |
793 63.67 (4) 7469 (9) |
656 4:43.95 (13) 8125 (9) |
| 10 | Tim NOWAK | GER |
8122 | Points Mark Overall |
834 11.12 (17) 834 (17) |
830 7.07 (19) 1664 (18) |
771 14.69 (14) 2435 (17) |
822 2.02 (8) 3257 (13) |
833 49.60 (17) 4090 (16) |
899 14.60 (13) 4989 (15) |
767 45.02 (13) 5756 (14) |
880 4.90 (8) 6636 (13) |
689 56.76 (16) 7325 (13) |
797 4:22.18 (2) 8122 (10) |
| 11 | Cedric DUBLER |  AUS |
8101 | Points Mark Overall |
917 10.75 (6) 917 (6) |
874 7.25 (14) 1791 (9) |
633 12.43 (22) 2424 (18) |
822 2.02 (7) 3246 (15) |
889 48.41 (7) 4135 (14) |
958 14.13 (5) 5093 (10) |
752 44.30 (15) 5845 (11) |
819 4.70 (15) 6664 (11) |
723 59.04 (11) 7387 (11) |
714 4:34.75 (4) 8101 (11) |
| 12 | Paweł WIESIOŁEK |  POL |
8064 | Points Mark Overall |
915 10.76 (8) 915 (7) |
818 7.02 (20) 1733 (16) |
806 15.26 (6) 2539 (12) |
767 1.96 (16) 3306 (11) |
844 49.37 (16) 4150 (12) |
892 14.65 (15) 5042 (13) |
812 47.20 (6) 5854 (10) |
880 4.90 (9) 6734 (8) |
663 55.00 (17) 7397 (10) |
667 4:42.06 (12) 8064 (12) |
| 13 | Vitaliy ZHUK |  BLR |
8058 | Points Mark Overall |
872 10.95 (14) 872 (14) |
727 6.63 (22) 1599 (21) |
798 15.13 (9) 2397 (20) |
767 1.96 (14) 3164 (20) |
905 48.08 (4) 4069 (17) |
912 14.49 (11) 4981 (16) |
801 46.64 (9) 5782 (13) |
849 4.80 (10) 6631 (14) |
718 58.66 (12) 7349 (12) |
709 4:35.45 (5) 8058 (13) |
| 14 | Harrison WILLIAMS | USA |
7892 | Points Mark Overall |
915 10.76 (7) 915 (7) |
847 7.14 (17) 1762 (13) |
715 13.78 (18) 2477 (15) |
740 1.93 (18) 3217 (19) |
913 47.93 (3) 4130 (15) |
920 14.43 (10) 5050 (12) |
751 44.23 (16) 5801 (12) |
849 4.80 (10) 6650 (12) |
568 48.59 (19) 7218 (14) |
674 4:40.96 (10) 7892 (14) |
| 15 | Fredrik SAMUELSSON |  SWE |
7860 | Points Mark Overall |
832 11.13 (18) 832 (18) |
840 7.11 (18) 1672 (17) |
727 13.97 (17) 2399 (19) |
822 2.02 (10) 3221 (18) |
811 50.08 (18) 4032 (18) |
876 14.78 (16) 4908 (17) |
720 42.71 (19) 5628 (17) |
849 4.80 (10) 6477 (15) |
699 57.39 (15) 7176 (15) |
684 4:39.48 (8) 7860 (15) |
| 16 | Keisuke USHIRO |  JPN |
7545 | Points Mark Overall |
765 11.44 (23) 765 (23) |
790 6.90 (21) 1555 (22) |
747 14.31 (15) 2302 (22) |
714 1.90 (20) 3016 (21) |
750 51.42 (21) 3766 (20) |
818 15.26 (20) 4584 (19) |
837 48.41 (3) 5421 (18) |
760 4.50 (18) 6181 (17) |
758 61.36 (6) 6939 (16) |
606 4:52.12 (17) 7545 (16) |
| 17 | Kai KAZMIREK | GER |
7414 | Points Mark Overall |
901 10.82 (9) 901 (9) |
876 7.26 (13) 1777 (10) |
747 14.30 (16) 2524 (13) |
850 2.05 (6) 3374 (9) |
941 47.35 (2) 4315 (7) |
0 DNF 4315 (21) |
764 44.85 (14) 5079 (21) |
972 5.20 (3) 6051 (18) |
739 60.08 (8) 6790 (17) |
624 4:49.16 (16) 7414 (17) |
| 18 | Martin ROE |  NOR |
6845 | Points Mark Overall |
874 10.94 (12) 874 (12) |
881 7.28 (12) 1755 (14) |
795 15.08 (12) 2550 (11) |
687 1.87 (21) 3237 (16) |
0 DQ 3237 (22) |
749 15.86 (21) 3986 (22) |
812 47.18 (7) 4798 (22) |
790 4.60 (17) 5588 (21) |
747 60.61 (7) 6335 (19) |
510 5:08.91 (18) 6845 (18) |
| 19 | Georni JARAMILLO |  VEN |
6645 | Points Mark Overall |
888 10.88 (11) 888 (11) |
927 7.47 (7) 1815 (7) |
816 15.42 (3) 2631 (6) |
0 NM 2631 (22) |
877 48.66 (10) 3508 (21) |
950 14.19 (7) 4458 (20) |
746 44.00 (17) 5204 (20) |
731 4.40 (19) 5935 (20) |
710 58.15 (13) 6645 (18) |
0 DNF 6645 (19) |
| Kevin MAYER |  FRA |
DNF | Points Mark Overall |
975 10.50 (3) 975 (3) |
950 7.56 (4) 1925 (3) |
902 16.82 (1) 2827 (1) |
794 1.99 (13) 3621 (1) |
862 48.99 (12) 4483 (3) |
991 13.87 (2) 5474 (2) |
836 48.34 (4) 6310 (1) |
0 NM 6310 (16) |
0 DNS DNF |
||
| Devon WILLIAMS | USA |
DNF | Points Mark Overall |
897 10.84 (10) 897 (10) |
900 7.36 (10) 1797 (8) |
714 13.76 (20) 2511 (14) |
740 1.93 (19) 3251 (14) |
891 48.37 (6) 4142 (13) |
986 13.91 (3) 5128 (9) |
815 47.32 (5) 5943 (7) |
0 NM 5943 (19) |
0 DNS DNF |
||
| Lindon VICTOR |  GRN |
DNF | Points Mark Overall |
938 10.66 (4) 938 (4) |
937 7.51 (5) 1875 (4) |
866 16.24 (2) 2741 (3) |
850 2.05 (4) 3591 (3) |
883 48.55 (9) 4474 (4) |
871 14.82 (18) 5345 (4) |
0 NM 5345 (19) |
0 NM 5345 (22) |
0 DNS DNF |
||
| Basile ROLNIN | FRA |
DNF | Points Mark Overall |
769 11.42 (22) 769 (22) |
0 DNS DNF |
0 DNS DNF |
0 DNS DNF |
0 DNS DNF |
||||||
| Timothy DUCKWORTH |  GBR |
DNF | Points Mark Overall |
0 DNS DNS |
0 DNS DNS |
0 DNS DNF |
0 DNS DNF |
0 DNS DNF |
