Niklas Kaul takes decathlon title in Doha
October 6, 2019
It was with an air of disbelief that an exhausted Niklas Kaul reveled in his sensational performance in Doha. Just a few seconds earlier, the German decathlete had outclassed the competition at the end of a topsy-turvy day to run himself right to the top of the podium becoming the youngest-ever decathlon winner at the IAAF World Athletics Championships.
"I haven't quite grasped what's happened yet," the 21-year-old told German public broadcaster ARD after the conclusion of the final discipline, the 1,500 meters. "It'll probably take as long to sink in as it will for my voice to come back because I lost it out on the track."
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As for the post-event celebrations, Kaul was coy: "I reckon it'll be about half past three by the time I get out of here so I don't think there will be much partying."
A jaw-dropping javelin throw
In Doha, the decathlon event was blown wide open when French world-record holder Kevin Mayer was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury sustained in the pole vault event. Kaul vaulted into contention when he produced the longest-ever throw in the decathlon with an astonishing effort of 79.05 meters – a new personal best and seven meters longer than his closest competitor.
"You've got to have a whip in your arm," enthused ARD pundit Frank Busemann, a silver medalist in the discipline at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, who had already sung Kaul's praises before the World Championships begun: "It's as if he's been at the highest level for 10 years."
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The U23 European Champion demonstrated unerring composure as he became the second German decathlete to take gold after Torsten Voss in 1987 with a sensational score of 8,691 points – another personal best. Silver went to Estonia's Maicel Uibo (8,604 points) with Canadian Damian Warner (8,529) taking bronze.