Daley Thompson

Double Olympic decathlon champion, Britain's greatest all rounder

Athletics

The story

Daley Thompson is the decathlon.

Across a career that spanned two decades, Thompson won back to back Olympic gold medals in 1980 and 1984, set four world records, and was at one point the simultaneous holder of the Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth titles. No athlete before or since has held all four at once.

He took the gold in Moscow at twenty two. He took it again in Los Angeles at twenty six. The second victory came against the best German decathletes of the era in what remains one of the most watched track and field contests in British history.

Retirement came in 1992 after a hamstring injury. He moved into coaching, broadcasting and the speaker circuit, where the stories about the rivalry with Jurgen Hingsen and the Los Angeles javelin round became part of the set.

Career highlights

  • Two Olympic gold medals in the decathlon (Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984)
  • Four world records between 1980 and 1984
  • Three Commonwealth gold medals (1978, 1982, 1986)
  • World Championship gold, 1983
  • European Championship gold, 1982
  • BBC Sports Personality of the Year, 1982

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