How is a decathlon scored?
Each of the ten events scores points on its own World Athletics formula, and the points add up. A 10.55 100m is worth 963 points; the world record is Kevin Mayer's 9,126 from 2018.
| Event | Mark | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100m | 10.55 | 963 |
| Long jump | 7.80 | 1010 |
| Shot put | 16.00 | 851 |
| High jump | 2.05 | 850 |
| 400m | 48.42 | 889 |
| 110m hurdles | 13.75 | 1007 |
| Discus | 50.54 | 882 |
| Pole vault | 5.45 | 1051 |
| Javelin | 71.90 | 918 |
| 1500m | 4:36.11 | 705 |
| Total | 9,126 |
The formula
Running events score A × (B − T)^C, with T the time in seconds. Jumps and throws score A × (M − B)^C, with M in centimetres for jumps and metres for throws. A, B and C are fixed for each event, and the result is rounded down to a whole point. A mark at or past B scores nothing.
The heptathlon, the indoor heptathlon and the indoor pentathlon score the same way, with their own coefficients for the women's events.
What 1,000 points looks like
The tables were set so that roughly 1,000 points is a world-class mark in each event. The decathletes who win championships score between 800 and 1,000 in most events and win on the events where they lose least.
Sources: World Athletics Scoring Tables for Combined Events. Updated 2026-10-31.