# Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's decathlon

The Men's decathlon competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, was held at the Olympic Stadium on 8–9 August.
From the outset, new world record holder Ashton Eaton dominated the events with teammate Trey Hardee his closest competitor. Notable for his early exit, 2004 champion and former world record holder Roman Šebrle withdrew after finishing last in the 100 m. Eaton's 10.35 100 metres was the top time of the day, Hardee's 10.42 the next best. His 8.03 long jump was almost half a metre further than any other competitor. Dmitriy Karpov won the shot put, but Eaton's 14.66 was just 12 cm short of his personal record. Leonel Suárez won the high jump, but Eaton tied with several members of the field for second best. And Eaton's 46.90 400 metres was over a full second faster than anybody else in the field. Damian Warner had a 40-point advantage for third position after the first day.
Hardee started day two off with a victory over Eaton in the 110 metres hurdles, but it was only .02, narrowing the gap by 3 points. Rico Freimuth was the top discus thrower, with Hardee 85 cm behind him. Eaton's discus was 5.75 m less, giving Hardee almost an extra 120 point dent into the gap. Eaton more than gained that back with the third best pole vault of the day, while Hardee was 40 cm back. In the javelin throw, Leonel Suárez put more than 10 meters on the rest of the contenders, to solidly place himself in bronze medal position. Hardee was the third best thrower, but his gap was not as large as he needed while Eaton set a new personal best in the event. With Eaton holding a 150+ point lead, Hardee a 70-point lead over Suárez, who held an 80-point lead over a crowd of his nearest challengers, the medals were fairly well set before the gun in the 1500 metres. Hans van Alphen led the way to move into fourth place, but nobody made a serious run at improving their medals, instead choosing to just finish the last event. For Suárez, it was his second Olympic bronze medal in a row.

## 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.
At the end of competition, if two athletes are tied, the athlete who has received more points in the greater number of events is the winner.

## Schedule

All times are British Summer Time (UTC+1)
| Date | Time | Round |
| Wednesday, 8 August 2012 | 10:10 11:10 12:50 18:00 21:30 | 100 metres Long jump Shot put High jump 400 metres |
| Thursday, 9 August 2012 | 09:00 09:55 12:55 18:30 21:20 | 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 | Ashton Eaton (USA) | 9039 | Eugene, United States | 23 June 2012 |
| Olympic record | Roman Šebrle (CZE) | 8893 | Athens, Greece | 24 August 2004 |
| 2012 World leading | Ashton Eaton (USA) | 9039 | Eugene, United States | 23 June 2012 |

## Overall results
### Key

| Key: | NR | National record | PB | Personal best | SB | Seasonal best | 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 |
| | Ashton Eaton (USA) | 8869 | 1011 10.35 s | 1068 8.03 m | 769 14.66 m | 850 2.05 m | 963 46.90 s | 1032 13.56 s | 716 42.53 m | 972 5.20 m | 767 61.96 m | 721 4:33.59 min |
| | Trey Hardee (USA) | 8671 (SB) | 994 10.42 s | 942 7.53 m | 807 15.28 m | 794 1.99 m | 904 48.11 s | 1035 13.54 s | 834 48.26 m | 849 4.80 m | 838 66.65 m | 674 4:40.94 min |
| | Leonel Suárez (CUB) | 8523 (SB) | 801 11.27 s | 940 7.52 m | 759 14.50 m | 906 2.11 m | 859 49.04 s | 917 14.45 s | 782 45.75 m | 819 4.70 m | 996 76.94 m | 744 4:30.08 min |
| 4 | Hans Van Alphen (BEL) | 8447 | 850 11.05 s | 970 7.64 m | 819 15.48 m | 850 2.05 m | 853 49.18 s | 863 14.89 s | 835 48.28 m | 849 4.80 m | 763 61.69 m | 795 4:22.50 min |
| 5 | Damian Warner (CAN) | 8442 (PB) | 980 10.48 s | 945 7.54 m | 712 13.73 m | 850 2.05 m | 899 48.20 s | 926 14.38 s | 785 45.90 m | 819 4.70 m | 780 62.77 m | 746 4:29.85 min |
| 6 | Rico Freimuth (GER) | 8320 | 940 10.65 s | 864 7.21 m | 782 14.87 m | 714 1.90 m | 906 48.06 s | 989 13.89 s | 852 49.11 m | 880 4.90 m | 698 57.37 m | 695 4:37.62 min |
| 7 | Oleksiy Kasyanov (UKR) | 8283 | 961 10.56 s | 947 7.55 m | 756 14.45 m | 794 1.99 m | 888 48.44 s | 963 14.09 s | 802 46.72 m | 790 4.60 m | 661 54.87 m | 721 4:33.68 min |
| 8 | Sergey Sviridov (RUS) | 8219 | 910 10.78 s | 922 7.45 m | 754 14.42 m | 794 1.99 m | 866 48.91 s | 799 15.42 s | 817 47.43 m | 790 4.60 m | 865 68.42 m | 702 4:36.63 min |
| 9 | Willem Coertzen (RSA) | 8173 | 841 11.09 s | 854 7.17 m | 715 13.79 m | 850 2.05 m | 882 48.56 s | 955 14.15 s | 738 43.58 m | 760 4.50 m | 810 64.79 m | 768 4:26.52 min |
| 10 | Pascal Behrenbruch (GER) | 8126 | 847 11.06 s | 850 7.15 m | 831 15.67 m | 767 1.96 m | 813 50.04 s | 932 14.33 s | 761 44.71 m | 819 4.70 m | 810 64.80 m | 696 4:37.46 min |
| 11 | Eelco Sintnicolaas (NED) | 8034 | 894 10.85 s | 903 7.37 m | 739 14.18 m | 740 1.93 m | 868 48.85 s | 920 14.43 s | 509 32.26 m | 1004 5.30 m | 720 58.82 m | 737 4:31.17 min |
| 12 | Brent Newdick (NZL) | 7988 | 838 11.10 s | 900 7.36 m | 795 15.09 m | 767 1.96 m | 804 50.22 s | 847 15.02 s | 791 46.15 m | 819 4.70 m | 735 59.82 m | 692 4:38.20 min |
| 13 | Gonzalo Barroilhet (CHI) | 7972 | 821 11.18 s | 767 6.80 m | 758 14.49 m | 850 2.05 m | 766 51.07 s | 959 14.12 s | 690 41.27 m | 1035 5.40 m | 697 57.25 m | 629 4:48.23 min |
| 14 | Yordanis García (CUB) | 7956 | 906 10.80 s | 755 6.75 m | 758 14.48 m | 794 1.99 m | 873 48.76 s | 944 14.24 s | 711 42.27 m | 790 4.60 m | 736 59.85 m | 689 4:38.57 min |
| 15 | Kevin Mayer (FRA) | 7952 | 791 11.32 s | 854 7.17 m | 731 14.05 m | 850 2.05 m | 873 48.76 s | 780 15.59 s | 689 41.20 m | 819 4.70 m | 774 62.41 m | 791 4:23.02 min |
| 16 | Ilya Shkurenyov (RUS) | 7948 | 858 11.01 s | 874 7.25 m | 661 12.89 m | 822 2.02 m | 823 49.81 s | 925 14.39 s | 736 43.51 m | 941 5.10 m | 645 53.81 m | 663 4:42.80 min |
| 17 | Eduard Mikhan (BLR) | 7928 | 919 10.74 s | 799 6.94 m | 774 14.75 m | 740 1.93 m | 889 48.42 s | 955 14.15 s | 755 44.42 m | 731 4.40 m | 673 55.69 m | 693 4:38.06 min |
| 18 | Dmitriy Karpov (KAZ) | 7926 | 881 10.91 s | 864 7.21 m | 880 16.47 m | 794 1.99 m | 822 49.83 s | 924 14.40 s | 765 44.93 m | 941 5.10 m | 588 49.93 m | 467 5:16.83 min |
| 19 | Luiz Alberto de Araújo (BRA) | 7849 | 929 10.70 s | 852 7.16 m | 699 13.52 m | 740 1.93 m | 897 48.25 s | 875 14.79 s | 762 44.76 m | 790 4.60 m | 612 51.59 m | 693 4:38.04 min |
| 20 | Keisuke Ushiro (JPN) | 7842 | 791 11.32 s | 781 6.86 m | 703 13.59 m | 794 1.99 m | 779 50.78 s | 794 15.47 s | 801 46.66 m | 880 4.90 m | 834 66.38 m | 685 4:39.33 min |
| 21 | Ingmar Vos (NED) | 7805 | 865 10.98 s | 878 7.27 m | 714 13.77 m | 767 1.96 m | 832 49.62 s | 897 14.61 s | 711 42.26 m | 760 4.50 m | 762 61.60 m | 619 4:50.01 min |
| 22 | Edgars Eriņš (LAT) | 7649 | 863 10.99 s | 809 6.98 m | 695 13.45 m | 740 1.93 m | 786 50.62 s | 823 15.22 s | 769 45.10 m | 760 4.50 m | 698 57.35 m | 706 4:35.88 min |
| 23 | Jangy Addy (LBR) | 7586 | 885 10.89 s | 790 6.90 m | 788 14.97 m | 740 1.93 m | 878 48.64 s | 945 14.23 s | 779 45.61 m | 673 4.20 m | 594 50.36 m | 514 5:08.14 min |
| 24 | Attila Szabó (HUN) | 7581 | 827 11.15 s | 804 6.96 m | 724 13.93 m | 714 1.90 m | 777 50.83 s | 859 14.92 s | 770 45.14 m | 790 4.60 m | 720 58.84 m | 596 4:53.81 min |
| 25 | Darius Draudvila (LTU) | 7557 | 872 10.95 s | 842 7.12 m | 800 15.17 m | 767 1.96 m | 809 50.13 s | 865 14.87 s | 796 46.43 m | 673 4.20 m | 591 50.16 m | 542 5:03.14 min |
| 26 | Rifat Artikov (UZB) | 7203 | 780 11.37 s | 677 6.41 m | 735 14.11 m | 740 1.93 m | 729 51.91 s | 881 14.74 s | 737 43.53 m | 731 4.40 m | 687 56.62 m | 506 5:09.52 min |
| — | Jan Felix Knobel (GER) | DNF | 769 11.42 s | 826 7.05 m | 808 15.29 m | 850 2.05 m | 821 49.87 s | 846 15.03 s | 790 46.10 m | 731 4.40 m | DNS | DNS |
| — | Kurt Felix (GRN) | DNF | 834 11.12 s | 967 7.63 m | 684 13.28 m | 850 2.05 m | 807 50.17 s | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Mihail Dudaš (SRB) | DNF | 883 10.90 s | 942 7.53 m | 714 13.76 m | 767 1.96 m | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Daniel Awde (GBR) | DNF | 926 10.71 s | 774 6.83 m | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |
| — | Roman Šebrle (CZE) | DNF | 744 11.54 s | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS |