Measuring a Decathlete’s Efficiency Against Himself, His Competitors, His Predecessors, and His Successors (0)

Sports writers and broadcasters often talk about how the decathlon is as much an athlete’s test against himself as it is against his competition. Devoted decathlon fans know that this ultimate track-and-field challenge is even more than these: it is also a test against every decathlete who ever preceded him as well as a measure against individual world standards.

Thanks to the statistical nature of the decathlon, we can measure a decathlete’s performances in three ways that distinguish its quality from any other sport:

Read more >>>

Story by Philip Vassallo, Ed.D.