# Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon

The Men's decathlon competition at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 29–30.

## 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.

## Records

Prior to the competition, the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.
| World record | Rafer Johnson (USA) | 7985 | Kingsburg, United States | June 11, 1955 |
| Olympic record | Bob Mathias (USA) | 7887 | Helsinki, Finland | July 26, 1952 |

## Schedule

All times are local
| Date | Time | Round |
| Thursday, November 29, 1956 | 10:00 11:00 14:15 16:00 18:30 | 100 metres Long Jump Shot Put High Jump 400 metres |
| Friday, November 30, 1956 | 09:00 10:00 13:15 16:15 18:30 | 110 metres hurdles Discus Throw Pole Vault Javelin Throw 1500 metres |

## Overall results
### Key

| Rank | Athlete | Overall points | 100 m | LJ | SP | HJ | 400 m | 110 m H | DT | PV | JT | 1500 m |
| | Milt Campbell (USA) | 7937 | 990 10.8 s | 898 7.33 m | 850 14.76 m | 886 1.89 m | 940 48.8 s | 1124 14.0 s | 775 44.98 m | 476 3.40 m | 668 57.08 m | 330 4:50.6 min |
| | Rafer Johnson (USA) | 7587 | 948 10.9 s | 902 7.34 m | 819 14.48 m | 806 1.83 m | 900 49.3 s | 788 15.1 s | 688 42.17 m | 695 3.90 m | 738 60.27 m | 303 4:54.2 min |
| | Vasili Kuznetsov (URS) | 7465 | 834 11.2 s | 798 7.04 m | 820 14.49 m | 711 1.75 m | 828 50.2 s | 840 14.9 s | 754 44.33 m | 720 3.95 m | 854 65.13 m | 306 4:53.8 min |
| 4 | Uno Palu (URS) | 6930 | 737 11.5 s | 681 6.65 m | 709 13.39 m | 886 1.89 m | 786 50.8 s | 716 15.4 s | 637 40.38 m | 556 3.60 m | 768 61.59 m | 454 4:35.6 min |
| 5 | Martin Lauer (EUA) | 6853 | 870 11.1 s | 734 6.83 m | 659 12.86 m | 806 1.83 m | 995 48.2 s | 894 14.7 s | 609 39.38 m | 364 3.10 m | 540 50.66 m | 382 4:43.8 min |
| 6 | Walter Meier (EUA) | 6773 | 800 11.3 s | 725 6.80 m | 671 12.99 m | 845 1.86 m | 900 49.3 s | 575 16.1 s | 562 37.59 m | 596 3.70 m | 492 47.97 m | 607 4:20.6 min |
| 7 | Torbjörn Lassenius (FIN) | 6565 | 650 11.8 s | 672 6.62 m | 715 13.45 m | 656 1.70 m | 786 50.8 s | 612 15.9 s | 664 41.36 m | 645 3.80 m | 717 59.33 m | 448 4:36.2 min |
| 8 | Yang Chuan-kwang (ROC) | 6521 | 834 11.2 s | 755 6.90 m | 544 11.56 m | 976 1.95 m | 751 51.3 s | 813 15.0 s | 469 33.92 m | 438 3.30 m | 685 57.88 m | 256 5:00.8 min |
| 9 | Pat Leane (AUS) | 6427 | 768 11.4 s | 722 6.79 m | 696 13.26 m | 845 1.86 m | 772 51.0 s | 523 16.4 s | 595 38.86 m | 516 3.50 m | 706 58.83 m | 284 4:56.8 min |
| 10 | John Cann (AUS) | 6278 | 948 10.9 s | 659 6.57 m | 598 12.18 m | 656 1.70 m | 900 49.3 s | 673 15.6 s | 592 38.76 m | 226 2.70 m | 686 57.89 m | 340 4:49.2 min |
| 11 | Ian Bruce (AUS) | 6025 | 678 11.7 s | 672 6.62 m | 609 12.30 m | 806 1.83 m | 751 51.3 s | 612 15.9 s | 536 36.62 m | 476 3.40 m | 554 51.38 m | 331 4:50.4 min |
| 12 | Najmeddin Farabi (IRN) | 5103 | 572 12.1 s | 575 6.25 m | 524 11.31 m | 656 1.70 m | 684 52.3 s | 372 17.4 s | 347 28.73 m | 438 3.30 m | 375 41.23 m | 560 4:24.8 min |
| — | Bob Richards (USA) | DNF | 678 11.7 s | 610 6.39 m | 628 12.52 m | 711 1.75 m | 684 52.3 s | 458 16.8 s | 566 37.77 m | 1023 4.45 m | 423 44.09 m | DNS |
| — | Yuriy Kutenko (URS) | DNF | 707 11.6 s | 678 6.64 m | 817 14.46 m | NM | 807 50.5 s | 632 15.8 s | 861 47.57 m | 795 4.10 m | DNS | DNS |
| — | Walter Herssens (BEL) | DNF | 650 11.8 s | 656 6.56 m | 509 11.12 m | 770 1.80 m | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |