The points table(s) closest to the multiples of hundred (0)

Multievents in the 21th century. Part II

There is a story about the points tables to be told that can fill many pages. Much of it is technical and was a real challenge to mathematicians. Even today there are proposals to change it again. Obviously when it was decided to put the pentathlon and the decathlon on the program of the Olympic Games, Stockhom 1912, there was need of a recognized principle for calculating points. Since then there have been six sets of scoring tables. Today’s 1985 tables are the result of many discussions to make a reasonable  fair-minded impartial system (although there’s some discussion to recognize more value to the throwing events). Some of the questions where: Is zero points equal to zero centimeters? Or better, can we – or how much points can we - give to a  result that can be obtained by an average person without training? How much for a result close to the world record? How to make a construction without favoring a specialist in one event? Following are the most recent points!

Except for the events in decathlon the events are not in order of appearance in the tables (see remarks at the end).

*Unless otherwise mentioned a performance in 100 m and Pv has to be counted +1 point, for example: 12.81 s in the 100 meters and 3.57 in the pole vault is in fact 501 points.

100, 200, 400, 110H, 200H, 400H: seconds;

800, 1000, 1500, 3000, 3000St, 5000, 10.000: minutes – seconds;

Jumps: centimeters;

Throws: meters.

Earliest and most recent 1000 Points for decathlon:

Today organized by IAAF:

Pentathlon (1912) Order of appearance: [LJ, JT, 200, DT, 1500], 1 day.

Decathlon (1911) [100,LJ, SP,HJ,400 --- 110H, DT, PV,JT, 1500] 2 days.

Indoor pentathlon (1971) [60 H, LJ, SP, HJ, 1000] Note: 60 H is sometimes replaced by the organizers, for example by 55 H. (1 day).

Indoor heptathlon (1984) [60, LJ, SP, HJ --- 60 H, PV, 1000 ] 2 days.

Today organized by IAUM:

Icosathlon (1981): [Day1: 100,LJ, 200H, SP,5000, 800, HJ,400, HT, 3000 --- Day 2: 110H, DT, 200, PV, 3000, 400H, JT, 1500, TJ, 10.000]

Next time a word about Psychoathlon!

Janek Salmistu and Chris Vlamynck for Decathlon 2000