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Decathlete Damian Warner at the discus throw
Photo:
Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
"That's what I needed." Seconds earlier, Damian Warner watched his spear with a fearful look.
It is the first attempt in the ninth discipline of the decathlon, here Warner is not one of the best.
Anything over 60 meters would not only be gold for the Canadian, it would be worth even more.
When the 62.35 meters light up, Warner walks over to his trainer with a smile.
The 9000 points, a magical limit in the decathlon where so many top athletes have failed, they are now within his grasp.
And Warner picks it up.
In the final 1500 meter race, for almost every decathlete a run of suffering, even more a run of hate, he torments himself at a time of 4: 31.08.
Gold with 9018 points - Olympic record.
Warner, a powerhouse from London in the province of Ontario, has been one of the best decathletes in the world for many years.
But it hadn't been enough for the top so far.
He won bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, as well as at the 2013 and 2019 World Championships, and in Beijing 2015, the 31-year-old finished second and won silver.
Somehow, at least one rival was always better when it came to crowning the king of track and field athletes.
Now Warner has made it - and is only the fourth athlete to exceed 9,000 points.
The first was Roman Sebrle from the Czech Republic in 2001 with 9026 points.
Then came Ashton Eaton twice (9039 and 9045 points), this exceptional athlete from the USA, who dominated the decathlon for many years and also regularly defeated Warner.
The last one in the group of nine thousand meter peaks was Kevin Mayer.
The Frenchman set a world record with 9126 points in Talence in his homeland in 2018.
Mayer was also one of the favorites in Tokyo, but after a mixed first day he had to admit defeat to Warner and landed silver with 8726 points.
Bronze surprisingly went to the young Ashley Moloney from Australia (8649 points).
Mayer trains with Kaul videos
If Warner is the powerhouse, then Mayer is considered to be the technical tinkerer in the decathlon, someone who continuously improves his analytical skills and relies much less on strength than his Canadian opponent does.
The German decathlete Niklas Kaul, world champion 2019 and dramatically injured in Tokyo on the first day, told ZDF that he had provided Mayer with videos of his javelin throws.
Mayer wants to learn from the best and Kaul is one of them when it comes to throwing a javelin.
The training with visual material paid off for Mayer, the 73.09 meters in the Olympic final meant a personal best.
Warner, in turn, improved his javelin throw after a good first attempt.
It was 63.44 meters at the end, so he went into the last discipline with 8280 points.
That was 59 points more than Warner's last decathlon.
In May in Götzis, Austria, he was close to reaching 9000 points, but then the incorruptible decathlon counter stopped at 8995.
Warner did not look seriously depressed at the time.
He was “proud” of his performance, but he was looking forward to Tokyo.
As if he had a plan.
A cold winter puts gold at risk
The year had not started for Warner as if he were preparing for the Olympic Games.
The postponement of Tokyo 2020 by a year was actually good news for him.
After the World Cup in Doha in 2019, Warner had major problems with both ankles, and the postponement allowed his injury to heal better.
But the pandemic deprived Warner of all training opportunities.
It was more by chance that he came across the empty Farquharson Arena in his hometown and rebuilt the sports facility for his needs.
The Canadian Athletics Association even donated a Mondo running track, like the one used in Tokyo.
But in winter it got extremely cold in the hall, Warner temporarily lost the feeling in the tips of his fingers and toes.
His coach Gar Leyshon described it in the run-up to the games as "dark days".
Warner doubted, other athletes had done much better in preparation, in this case warmer.
His mental hole ended in early March.
His wife, Jennifer Cotton, a former hurdler, gave birth to their son.
And according to coach Leyshon, everything changed for Warner.
Suddenly it was back in training, the focus was back, Olympic gold firmly in view.
Now Warner has done it.
His first major title and entry into the nine-thousand-meter club.
In the 1500 meter race, he initially took it easy.
Warner knew that a time like the one in Götzis two months ago would be enough.
And on the last lap he mobilized all his strength, even passed Mayer, who is easier on this route.
At the finish, with his hands on his knees, this anxious look followed again.
Was it enough?
Warner gave a short scream and then everyone - whether decathlete or heptathlete - came and congratulated.
That too is decathlon, a large family of outstanding athletes.
Warner is the new head.