Decathlete Damian Warner wins third Hypo-Meeting title
Rio 2016 decathlon bronze medallist Damian Warner, claimed his second straight and third career Hypo-Meeting title in Gotzis, Austria.
At one of the most prestigious competitions for combined event athletes, Warner demonstrated his skills across the track and field. The Canadian won with 8591 points, setting a new world leading score in the decathlon. Warner’s performance bettered his mark of 8523 from the previous year, when he and Brianne Theisen-Eaton both claimed top prizes.
Related: Warner wins second decathlon title at Hypo-Meeting
Related: Warner wins Rio 2016 decathlon bronze
Warner controlled the competition en route to his third title, leading the field as early as the first event. Warner and fellow Canadian Pierce LePage opened with a 1-2 finish in the 100m. Next up, was long jump where Warner won with leap of 7.85m, while LePage placed fourth with 7.64m.
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In shot put a toss of 14.09m allowed Warner to maintain his leader position, while LePage’s 13.26m saw the Canadian fall to sixth.
High jump proved to be a big event for 21-year-old LePage, one of RBC Training Ground‘s 2016 regional winners. LePage registered a personal best of 2.09m, which moved him back into second overall. Warner remained in first after a height of 2.03m.
The Canadians ended day one with the 400m, where Warner crossed the line first once again running 47.49s. LePage landed two spots behind him, clocking 48.99s. After five events the Canadians were ranked first and second, Warner led with 4532 points followed by LePage (3479).
Day two began back on the track for the 110m hurdles, where Warner easily won with a time of 13.54s, picking up 1035 points. LePage’s time of 14.58s put the Canadian in fourth heading into the sixth event.
Next up, it was time for the remaining field events. Despite a lot of movement in the rankings among competitors, Warner held onto the leader spot with 7842 points after scoring 753 in discuss, 819 in pole vault and 703 in javelin.
With one event left France’s Eelco Sintnicolass trailed Warner with 7796 points. However Sintnicolass was no match for Warner in the 1500m, who finished in four minutes 29.33s. Sintnicolass placed second overall with 8539 points, just ahead of Germany’s Rico Freimuth who scored 8365 for third.
At only his first Hypo-Meeting appearance, Pierce LePage finished 17th overall with a score of 7894.
