# Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon

The men's decathlon event at the 1948 Olympic Games took place between August 5 and August 6. The 17-year-old Bob Mathias of the United States won with a points total of 7139.

## Competition format

The decathlon consists of ten track and field events, with a points system that awards higher scores for better results in each of the ten components. The athletes all compete in one competition with no elimination rounds.

## Schedule

All times are British Summer Time (UTC+1)
| Date | Time | Round |
| Thursday, 5 August 1948 | 10:30 11:30 15:00 16:00 17:30 | 100 metres Long jump Shot put High jump 400 metres |
| Friday, 6 August 1948 | 10:30 11:30 14:30 16:30 18:30 | 110 metres hurdles Discus throw Pole vault Javelin throw 1500 metres |

## Records

Prior to the competition, the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.
| World record Olympic record | Glenn Morris (USA) | 7900 | Berlin, Germany | 8 August 1936 |

## Overall results
### Key

| Key: | DNS | Did not start | DNF | Did not finish |
| Rank | Athlete | Overall points | 100 m | LJ | SP | HJ | 400 m | 110 m H | DT | PV | JT | 1500 m |
| | Bob Mathias (USA) | 7139 | 787 11.2 s | 703 6.615 m | 719 13.04 m | 859 1.86 m | 780 51.7 s | 818 15.7 s | 769 44.0 m | 692 3.5 m | 593 50.32 m | 354 5:11.0 min |
| | Ignace Heinrich (FRA) | 6974 | 760 11.3 s | 775 6.895 m | 701 12.85 m | 859 1.86 m | 785 51.6 s | 833 15.6 s | 739 40.94 m | 575 3.2 m | 430 40.98 m | 517 4:43.8 min |
| | Floyd Simmons (USA) | 6950 | 787 11.2 s | 731 6.725 m | 696 12.8 m | 859 1.86 m | 770 51.9 s | 896 15.2 s | 509 32.73 m | 652 3.4 m | 624 51.99 m | 426 4:58.0 min |
| 4 | Enrique Kistenmacher (ARG) | 6929 | 872 10.9 s | 825 7.080 m | 684 12.67 m | 671 1.70 m | 845 50.5 s | 736 16.3 s | 744 41.11 m | 575 3.2 m | 499 45.06 m | 478 4:49.6 min |
| 5 | Erik Andersson (SWE) | 6877 | 686 11.6 s | 698 6.595 m | 683 12.66 m | 727 1.75 m | 765 52.0 s | 790 15.9 s | 599 36.07 m | 733 3.6 m | 607 51.04 m | 589 4:34.0 min |
| 6 | Peter Mullins (AUS) | 6739 | 787 11.2 s | 711 6.645 m | 691 12.75 m | 822 1.83 m | 706 53.2 s | 896 15.2 s | 541 33.94 m | 652 3.4 m | 612 51.32 m | 321 5:17.6 min |
| 7 | Per Axel Eriksson (SWE) | 6731 | 618 11.9 s | 751 6.80 m | 617 11.96 m | 786 1.80 m | 740 52.5 s | 749 16.2 s | 567 34.91 m | 613 3.3 m | 715 56.7 m | 575 4:35.8 min |
| 8 | Irving Mondschein (USA) | 6715 | 760 11.3 s | 754 6.810 m | 690 12.74 m | 822 1.83 m | 785 51.6 s | 698 16.6 s | 674 38.74 m | 692 3.5 m | 363 36.81 m | 477 4:49.8 min |
| 9 | Edward Adamczyk (POL) | 6712 | 662 11.7 s | 825 7.080 m | 735 13.2 m | 727 1.75 m | 740 52.5 s | 804 15.8 s | 685 39.11 m | 652 3.4 m | 476 43.7 m | 406 5:01.4 min |
| 10 | Godtfred Holmvang (NOR) | 6663 | 576 12.1 s | 739 6.75 m | 637 12.17 m | 671 1.7 m | 720 52.9 s | 723 16.4 s | 656 38.11 m | 652 3.4 m | 656 53.66 m | 633 4:28.6 min |
| 11 | Per Stavem (NOR) | 6552 | 597 12.0 s | 726 6.705 m | 805 13.89 m | 786 1.8 m | 585 56.0 s | 723 16.4 s | 743 41.06 m | 575 3.2 m | 639 52.79 m | 373 5:07.4 min |
| 12 | Örn Clausen (ISL) | 6444 | 814 11.1 s | 686 6.545 m | 703 12.87 m | 786 1.8 m | 639 54.7 s | 776 16.0 s | 606 36.34 m | 575 3.2 m | 484 44.16 m | 375 5:07.0 min |
| 13 | Yrjö Mäkelä (FIN) | 6421 | 618 11.9 s | 603 6.20 m | 725 13.10 m | 786 1.8 m | 656 54.3 s | 597 17.5 s | 600 36.12 m | 575 3.2 m | 835 62.55 m | 426 4:58.0 min |
| 14 | Pierre Sprécher (FRA) | 6401 | 618 11.9 s | 646 6.38 m | 641 12.22 m | 563 1.6 m | 775 51.8 s | 686 16.7 s | 625 37.02 m | 501 3.0 m | 757 58.79 m | 589 4:34.0 min |
| 15 | Kjell Tånnander (SWE) | 6325 | 686 11.6 s | 695 6.58 m | 668 12.5 m | 859 1.86 m | 647 54.5 s | 723 16.4 s | 610 36.5 m | 575 3.2 m | 475 43.65 m | 387 5:04.8 min |
| 16 | Wacław Kuźmicki (POL) | 6153 | 597 12.0 s | 690 6.565 m | 652 12.34 m | 671 1.7 m | 656 54.3 s | 587 17.6 s | 655 38.06 m | 575 3.2 m | 539 47.34 m | 531 4:41.8 min |
| 17 | Hannes Sonck (FIN) | 6142 | 618 11.9 s | 728 6.715 m | 605 11.83 m | 727 1.75 m | 618 55.2 s | 674 16.8 s | 561 34.71 m | 652 3.4 m | 555 48.24 m | 404 5:01.8 min |
| 18 | Davorin Marčelja (YUG) | 6141 | 576 12.1 s | 568 6.05 m | 638 12.19 m | 671 1.7 m | 652 54.4 s | 597 17.5 s | 695 39.44 m | 613 3.3 m | 688 55.34 m | 443 4:55.2 min |
| 19 | Witold Gerutto (POL) | 6106 | 576 12.1 s | 534 5.905 m | 871 14.53 m | 671 1.7 m | 610 55.4 s | 651 17.0 s | 765 41.8 m | 501 3.0 m | 607 51.06 m | 320 5:17.8 min |
| 20 | Hernán Figueroa (CHI) | 6026 | 686 11.6 s | 651 6.405 m | 520 10.87 m | 859 1.86 m | 730 52.7 s | 640 17.1 s | 614 36.62 m | 575 3.2 m | 387 38.31 m | 364 5:09.0 min |
| 20 | Hércules Azcune (URU) | 6026 | 686 11.6 s | 656 6.425 m | 637 12.17 m | 671 1.7 m | 656 54.3 s | 710 16.5 s | 515 32.98 m | 652 3.4 m | 465 43.05 m | 378 5:06.4 min |
| 22 | Jacques Crétaine (FRA) | 5829 | 686 11.6 s | 656 6.425 m | 512 10.78 m | 616 1.65 m | 635 54.8 s | 618 17.3 s | 679 38.9 m | 652 3.4 m | 469 43.26 m | 306 5:20.8 min |
| 23 | Fritz Nussbaum (SUI) | 5808 | 618 11.9 s | 637 6.345 m | 533 11.02 m | 563 1.6 m | 687 53.6 s | 710 16.5 s | 530 33.54 m | 613 3.3 m | 518 46.13 m | 399 5:02.6 min |
| 24 | Mario Recordón (CHI) | 5730 | 640 11.8 s | 575 6.085 m | 571 11.45 m | 671 1.7 m | 674 53.9 s | 804 15.8 s | 536 33.77 m | 431 2.8 m | 383 38.06 m | 445 4:54.8 min |
| 25 | Lionel Fournier (CAN) | 5590 | 686 11.6 s | 678 6.510 m | 482 10.42 m | 616 1.65 m | 647 54.5 s | 607 17.4 s | 498 32.31 m | 575 3.2 m | 454 42.39 m | 347 5:12.4 min |
| 26 | Albert Dayer (BEL) | 5586 | 597 12.0 s | 516 5.825 m | 663 12.45 m | 616 1.65 m | 543 57.1 s | 422 19.5 s | 757 41.54 m | 501 3.0 m | 564 48.71 m | 407 5:01.2 min |
| 27 | Oskar Gerber (SUI) | 5558 | 618 11.9 s | 547 5.96 m | 585 11.61 m | 563 1.6 m | 635 54.8 s | 674 16.8 s | 551 34.32 m | 575 3.2 m | 455 42.44 m | 355 5:10.8 min |
| 28 | Sayed Moukhtar (EGY) | 5031 | 640 11.8 s | 448 5.51 m | 533 11.02 m | 462 1.5 m | 635 54.8 s | 557 17.9 s | 612 36.54 m | 285 2.35 m | 491 44.59 m | 368 5:08.4 min |
| — | Baldev Singh (IND) | DNF | 640 11.8 s | 708 6.63 m | 451 10.05 m | 671 1.7 m | 543 57.1 s | 762 16.1 s | 430 29.63 m | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Josef Seger (LIE) | DNF | 536 12.3 s | 543 5.945 m | 398 9.4 m | 616 1.65 m | 597 55.7 s | 485 18.7 s | 404 28.6 m | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Eduardo Julve (PER) | DNF | 686 11.6 s | 716 6.665 m | 718 13.03 m | 616 1.65 m | 692 53.5 s | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Oto Rebula (YUG) | DNF | 686 11.6 s | 683 6.53 m | 580 11.55 m | 563 1.6 m | 614 55.3 s | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | René Kremer (LUX) | DNF | 710 11.5 s | 615 6.255 m | 591 11.67 m | 563 1.6 m | 566 56.5 s | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Gebhard Büchel (LIE) | DNF | 464 12.7 s | 457 5.55 m | 477 10.36 m | 368 1.4 m | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Armin Scheurer (SUI) | DNF | 499 12.5 s | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |