Kevin Mayer of France wins the Decathlon (© Getty Images)
Kevin Mayer of France, the leader after Day 1, managed to defend his lead to win the decathlon on Day 2, but he had to struggle to the last event to pull it off.
Mayer expanded his first-day lead over Great Britain's David Guest in the first event of day two, the 110m Hurdles. Running a PB 14.21, Mayer led all competitors in the event, with Guest following in 14.25, also a PB. Germany's Kai Kazmirek, who had vaulted to fifth with his heroic sub-48 400m run at the end of Day 1, was the fourth-best over the hurdles at 14.41, which brought him into third, just ahead of Cuba's Jose Angel Mendieta, the previous third-placer, who only managed 14.93. Mendieta was the fastest decathlete not to run a PB in the hurdles.
The Discus saw Mayer's lead shrink a little more. The overall leaders were buried in the middle of the event results, with Mendieta at 41.21m fighting his way back into third at 5625. Mayer's 37.57m kept him 35 points ahead of Guest, whose 40.36m put him at 5687 to Mayer's 5722. Kazmirek slipped to fourth at 5610.
The Pole Vault shuffled the leaders again, as it is wont to do, with Russia's Ilya Shkurenev vaulting into second with a 5.00m clearance. Mayer, next at 4.70m, kept the lead at 6541, but Shkurenev took over second at 6498 with Guest, who only managed a PB 4.60m, third with 6477. Kazmirek continued to hold on to fourth (6370) with Mendieta slipping to eighth.
Mendieta got a boost from the Javelin, however, throwing 63.20m to earn 786 points and find his way back into third. Shkurenev took the lead from Mayer, throwing a PB 55.49m to the Frenchman's 49.76m - Mayer's first sub-par event - to add up to 7168 to Mayer's 7126. Kazmirek as well pushed by Guest into fourth, throwing 53.07m to get to 7004 points, with Guest 6986 after his 44.62m throw.
That set up a 1500m clash that was suited to Mayer's strengths. He delivered with a stunning 4:21.35. Shkurenev was well in his wake at 4:42.92. When the numbers were tallied it was Mayer 7928, Shkurenev 7830.
Nilsson of Sweden, who had run much of the 1500m with Mayer and finished second in 4:25.31, ran himself into third overall, jumping from 6th place with a total score of 7751. Guest settled for fourth in both the 1500m and the overall event with 4:36.13 and 7691.
