Markus Rooth Wins Decathlon Gold at Paris 2024

Markus Rooth of Norway achieved an unexpected victory in the men's decathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics, scoring a national record of 8,796 points. The 22-year-old's performance featured personal bests in several events, culminating in a strong finish in the 1500m, which secured his gold medal. Rooth's victory marks Norway's first decathlon gold since the 1920 Antwerp Games. He outperformed Germany's Leo Neugebauer, who earned silver with 8,748 points, and Grenada's Lindon Victor, who took bronze with 8,711 points. Defending champion Damian Warner's hopes were dashed when he failed to clear the pole vault, finishing his title defense without a score in that event. This win positions Rooth as the second youngest Olympic decathlon champion in history, following Bob Mathias.