Ashton Eaton Will Defend His Decathlon Gold in Rio Games

Ashton Eaton won the Gold Medal in the Decathlon at the 2012 London Olympics, and he’ll get a chance to defend that title at the Rio deJaneiro games in August. Eaton placed first at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon and will make his second appearance in the Olympics. Eaton is a former University of Oregon athlete who is very much at home on the track in Eugene. He’s also the world record holder in the event with 9045 points, set at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.

Joining Eaton on the U.S. team are two first time Olympians. Former University of Washington athlete Jeremy Taiwo finished second and former University of Wisconsin athlete Zach Ziemek was third. Ziemek just concluded his college career by finishing second in the decathlon in the NCAA Championships earlier this year.

The U.S. has won gold in the last two Olympics, with Bryan Clay winning it at the Beijing Games in 2008. American Trey Hardee won the silver in London, but he was hampered by injuries during this year’s trials. The last athlete to win consecutive gold medals in the decathlon was Britain’s Daley Thompson in 1980 and 1984. The only other repeat winner was American Bob Mathias in 1948 and 1952.