By Lori Ewing
PARIS (Reuters) -Germany’s Leo Neugebauer is on course to win the Olympic decathlon title after Friday’s first day in Paris, but he has a couple of youngsters breathing down his neck.
The 24-year-old has 4,650 points in the 10-discipline event which is often described as crowning “the world’s greatest athlete”.
Puerto Rican Ayden Owens-Delerme, 24, is second with 4,608 after a sizzling 400 metres with Norway’s 22-year-old Sander Skotheim third on 4,588.
Reigning champion Damian Warner of Canada was fourth (4,561).
Warner clocked the fastest time in the men’s 100 metres of 10.25 seconds to kick off the day, but Neugebauer, who holds the world’s best mark this season of 8,961 points, passed the veteran with his 7.98 metres in the long jump, ahead of Warner’s 7.79.
Neugebauer extended his lead with his 16.55 metre throw in the shot put, one of his strongest events, while Warner could muster only 14.45.
Neugebauer’s clearance of 2.05 metres in the high jump was enough to maintain the lead, while Skotheim cleared 2.11 to pass Warner who dropped to third with his 2.02 jump.
Owens-Delerme blazed to a time of 46.17 in the 400m to put him in silver medal position heading into day two, while Skotheim crossed the line in 47.02 and Warner faded badly over the final 50m.
The biggest cheers from the flag-waving French crowd in a full Stade de France were for France’s Makenson Gletty.
The 34-year-old Warner is the oldest man in the competition, and his gold three years ago in Tokyo made him the oldest man to win the Olympic decathlon title.
Day two includes the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1,500m.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing,Editing by Toby Davis and Ed Osmond)
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