Dvorak: The World’s Greatest Athlete?
4 June 2000 – Goetzis, Austria – 100 metres: 10.54 (wind 1.3), personal best equalled. Long Jump: 8.03 (wind 0.0), new personal best. Shot Put: 16.68, only 20cm from his recent personal best. High jump: 2.09, new personal best. 400m: 48.36 (his personal best is 47.56 and he recorded 48.08 when setting the world record in Praha last year). Total accumulated after the first day of competition: 4706 points, 61 points over the world record. These were the figures recorded by a much admired and applauded Tomas Dvorak on Saturday after the first day of the 26th Hypo-Meeting, second rendez-vous of the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge 2000.
There was a strong possibility that the first "+9000 points" in the history of the decathlon would take place here in Goetzis. Dvorak tried, but on the second day lady luck was no longer with him and he finished the competition 94 points from his best, closing with 8900 points, nevertheless the second best all-time performance.
Overall, this was probably one of the greatest decathlons competitions ever. The figures are there to prove it: one man with 8900, two with over 8700, another three with more than 8500, and another nine over 8000. Sebrle, Nool, Yurkov, Zsivotski, Maczey, Huber, Ambrosch and Mewes all set personal bests. Notwithstanding two national records: Attila Zsivotski, whose father is none other than Gyula, one of the greatest hammer throwers of the 1960’s, who set a new record for Hungary, and Erki Nool (as always accompanied by his colourful and boisterous fan club) set a new record for Estonia thanks to an excellent 5.55m in the pole vault.
Germany’s Busemann admirable return performance is also worthy of mention, although Finland’s Hamalainen still seems far from his best.
Results:
1. Tomas Dvorak (CZE) 8900 p. (10.54/1.3 – 8.03/0.0 – 16.68 – 2.09 –
48.36/ 13.89/-1.0 – 47.89 – 4.85 – 67.21 – 4:42.33)
2. Roman Sebrle (CZE) 8757 p. (10.64/1.3 – 7.88/1.6 – 15.19 – 2.15 –
49.05/ 13.99/-1.0 – 47.21 – 4.75 – 67.23 – 4:35.06)
3. Erki Nool (EST) 8742 NR
4. Aleksandr Yurkov (UKR) 8574
5. Attila Zsivotzky (HUN) 8554 NR
6. Frank Busemann (GER) 8531
7. Mike Maczey (GER) 8461
8. Stefan Schmid (GER) 8445
9. Jon-Arnar Magnusson (ISL) 8206
10. Philipp Huber (SUI) 8153
11. Klaus Ambrosch (AUT) 8113
12. David Mewes (GER) 8108
13. Zsolt Kurtosi (HUN) 8106
14. Henrik Dagard (SWE) 8050
15. Prodromos Korkizoglou (GRE) 8017
