Damian Warner's Decathlon Title Defense Ends Abruptly

Canadian athlete Damian Warner's defense of his Olympic decathlon title ended abruptly after he failed to clear the 4.60 meters height in the pole vault event, resulting in zero points and dropping him from second place to 18th overall. Warner, who set an Olympic record at the Tokyo Games, chose to skip initial heights but couldn't succeed in his three attempts at 4.60 meters. This setback occurred amid a highly competitive field led by Germany's Leo Neugebauer. Norwegian athlete Sander Skotheim also failed to clear his pole vault height, similarly falling out of medal contention. Warner's unexpected exit underscores the unpredictable nature of the decathlon, where athletes must excel across various disciplines to remain in contention. The Canadian Olympic Committee expressed the team's devastation over Warner's withdrawal from the competition.