The real points collector (2)

Multievents in the 21th century. Part V

Until before 2014, four 8000+ decathletes completed an Icosathlon. These where first Sven Reintak (1989) and then Indrek Kaseorg (1990, -91, -92) proving again the multi-event high quality in Estonia, followed years later by the two Americans Kip Janvrin (2002) and Joe Detmer (2010).

In the last four years, after Joe Detmer breaking the Icosathlon record, nobody was added to the all-time top 10 unless at the end of last summer season (2014) when Frederic Xhonneux (pb 8142/2008) from Belgium decided to partake in the twenty events weekend in Delft in the Netherlands. He installed himself immediately as fifth athlete on the all-time list, joining the select group of six athletes  exceeding 13.000 points. A fresh wind in the “Icosathlon world” and time for us to review some facts.

Let’s go back in time to the year 1989. Indrek Kaseorg is 22 years old and there’s no significant decathlon to find on his name. The year before in 1988 the FIN Mika Ruuskanen brought the Icosathlon world record to 12.158 points. Three other Estonians think they can break that record and they are on 9 September 89 at the start of an Icosathlon in Helsinki to do that and all three of them write history. Raivo Magi running the 10.000 in 38 minutes 31.16 seconds breaks the record with 12.725 points but he knows that right behind him Aivar Ojastu is still running and that his points total after 19 events is so high that he will break that record again in a few minutes. And indeed two minutes later at the end of the 10.000 meters Ojastu becomes the new world record holder with 13.332 points. Sven Reintak becomes the second best Icosathlete at that time with 13.059 points and the first 8000+ decathlete to finish an Icosathlon. The top three in the world is Estonian in 1989 and today they are still in the all-time top ten. The special thing about Magi is that he became world record holder in the “other decathlon” or let us call them the 10 “non-decathlon” events, and that record is with 7145 points still not broken in 2015 as we write this article. Second all-time for the non-dec events is Aivar Ojastu with 7058 points the only two people in the world with more than 7000 points (non-dec) in an Icosathlon for 26 years!

A year later Indrek Kaseorg decided to compete in the 1990 Icosathlon in Espoo in Finland. He ends the “double D” with 12.879 and becomes the third Icosathlete ever. The top four is still Estonian. Indrek has a sense of taste in his mouth. The flavor? World record! Next year in 1991 he’s doing a decathlon of 7549 and later goes to Punkalaidun in Finland again. He breaks the Icosathlon world record with 13.763 points meanwhile doing a 6940 decathlon in the same weekend. Same place and almost same time of the year in 1992 (a year later), and the record on his name went to 13.906 points. The record stood for 10 years – the longest ever for the Icosathlon – and since he, already the year before also broke the record, he’s been world record holder for 11 years.

Collecting points

Yes the real points collector is Indrek Kaseorg! Allready more than ten years Indrek has collected the biggest amount of points for the 20 events as well as for the 23 different performances. Respectively an amazing total of 15.803 and 18.556 points. It is not easy to find everyone’s personal bests. The need for correction is possible and very welcome. Here is Indrek Kaseorg’s profile compared to the closest following high results for the 23.

All Time Personal Bests Table 23 Events

*This table covers all circumstances personal bests.