10종 경기, Decathlon

10개 종목을 이틀에 걸쳐 치르는 복합 경기로, 경기의 종목과 순서는 규정에 의해 정해져 있다. 각 종목마다 정해진 점수표에 의거, 기록을 점수로 환산, 10종목의 총점으로 순위를 가린다.

첫째 날: 100m, 멀리뛰기, 포환던지기, 높이뛰기, 400m
둘째 날: 110m 허들, 원반던지기, 장대높이뛰기, 창던지기, 1,500m

세부 종목에서 볼 수 있듯이 단거리(100m, 400m), 장애물(110m 허들), 투척(포환던지기, 원반던지기, 창던지기), 도약(멀리뛰기, 높이뛰기, 장대높이뛰기), 중거리(1,500m)가 고루 분포되어 있어 말 그대로 만능을 요구하는 경기. NCAA 대학팀을 기준으로 대체로 이 종목 선수가 팀의 Top Athlete인 경우가 많고, 이 선수들은 또 많은 경우 그 재능을 살려 해당 학교 미식축구 팀에서 와이드 리시버나 코너백을 겸업하기도 한다.

현재와 같은 형태의 10종 경기는 1912년 스톡홀름 올림픽에서 처음 도입되었고, 이 대회에서 미국 원주민 출신의 레전설 스포츠맨 짐 소프가 첫 금메달을 획득했다. 이 때 시상식에서 당시 스웨덴 국왕 구스타프 5세가 소프를 "당신이야말로 세계 최고의 운동선수(world's greatest athlete)로군요!"라고 칭송했고, 이 "World's Greatest Athlete"은 지금도 10종 경기의 올림픽 금메달리스트에게 붙는 수식어가 됐다.

대부분 기록은 각 종목의 전문 선수에게는 밀리지만 모든 종목을 순위권에 들 정도로 해낸다는 것으로 그야말로 초인의 영역이다. 2008년에 월스트리트 저널에서 전세계 운동선수들 가운데 운동능력 1위로 꼽은 선수가 04년 하계올림픽에서 금메달을 딴 로만 셰브렐레였다. 당시 2위는 NBA의 스타 르브론 제임스, 3위는 복싱의 플로이드 메이웨더, 4위는 NFL 러닝백 르데니언 톰린슨ㅁ 5위는 테니스계의 황제 로저 페더러였다. 당시 기록에서 9위에 호나우딩요, 10위에 알렉스 로드리게스가 있었다.

당연히 이 선정은 여기저기서 논란거리가 됐는데, 각 스포츠팬들이 격렬하게 항의했지만 아래의 설명으로 납득시켰다.

 

"이 선수는 100미터를 10초대에 뛰고 샤킬 오닐을 점프해서 넘을 수 있으며, 16파운드의 쇳덩어리를 16미터 이상 던지고 멀리 뛰기로는 2차선 도로를 넘을 수 있다. NFL 러닝백의 스피드와 NBA 포워드의 점프력을 동시에 가지고 있는 선수다."

각 종목별로 요구되는 신체 능력이 워낙 다르다보니 선택과 집중이 중요하다. 대체로 최고 수준의 10종 선수들은 기본적으로 스프린터인 경우가 많으며, 사용하는 운동영역이 그나마 서로 흡사한 편인 단거리(100m, 110m 허들)와 멀리뛰기에서 최대한 득점을 벌고, 이외 종목들에서 감점을 최소화하는 전략을 사용한다. 투척 종목은 일반적으로 버린다.

세계 기록은 케빈 메이어(프랑스)가 2018년 국제육상경기연맹(IAAF) 혼합경기대회에서 세운 9,126점이다. 참고로 근대 육상 역사상 10종 총점 9,000점을 돌파한 선수는 단 4명뿐이다.

 

 

 

 

It is a complex competition in which 10 events are played over two days, and the event and order are determined by the regulations. The record is converted into a score according to a scorecard set for each event, and the ranking is determined by the total score of 10 events.

Day one: 100 m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 m
Day 2: 110 m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, 1,500 m

As can be seen in the detailed events, short distances (100m, 400m), obstacles (110m hurdles), throws (shoot, discus, javelin), leaps (long jump, high jump, pole vault), and intermediate distances (1,500m) are evenly distributed, which literally require all-around performances. Based on NCAA college teams, athletes in this event are often the team's Top Athlete, and in many cases, these athletes utilize their talents to combine as wide receivers or cornerbacks on the school's football team.

Decathlon in its current form was first introduced at the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games, where legendary American sportsman Jim Thorpe won his first gold medal. At the ceremony, King Gustav V of Sweden praised Thorpe, saying, "You are the best athlete in the world!" and this "World's Greatest Athlete" has become a modifier for the Olympic gold medalists of decathlon.

Most of the records fall behind professional athletes in each sport, but they are truly superhuman. Roman Chevrolet, who won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics, was ranked as the world's No. 1 athlete among athletes in the Wall Street Journal in 2008. At that time, LeBron James was ranked second, Floyd Mayweather was ranked third, boxing was ranked fourth, and NFL running back Roger Federer was ranked fifth. Ronaldo was ranked ninth and Alex Rodriguez was ranked 10th.

Naturally, the selection was controversial here and there, with each sports fan vehemently protesting but convinced by the explanation below.



"He can run 100 m in 10 seconds and jump Shaquille O'Neill, throw a 16-pound piece of metal over 16 m and cross a two-lane road for long runs. He has the speed of an NFL running back and the jumping power of an NBA forward at the same time."

Selection and concentration are important because each discipline requires very different physical abilities. In general, top-10 skaters are often sprinters, and they use strategies to earn maximum points in short distances (100m and 110m hurdles) and long jump, which are similar in exercise areas, and to minimize deduction in other sports. Throwing events are generally thrown away.

The world record is 9,126 points set by Kevin Mayer of France at the 2018 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Mixed Competition. For reference, only four athletes in modern track and field history have surpassed 9,000 points in total in 10 categories.