In the men’s decathlon on Saturday, Markus Rooth took home the gold medal, earning Norway its first medal of the Paris Games.

In the last event, the 1500m race, Rooth needed to finish ahead of Leo Neugebauer in order to secure gold.

And Rooth won easily thanks to his compatriot Sander Skotheim pacing him in the race, while Neugebauer appeared content to settle for silver by chasing third-place Lindon Victor.

Leo Neugebauer (8,748), the German overnight leader, was content with the silver medal, while Lindon Victor (8,711) of Grenada came in third.

On a dramatic day when defending champion Damian Warner’s hopes of winning a medal vanished after failing to score in the pole vault, the Norwegian rose to the situation.

With the javelin and 1500 meters remaining, Neugebauer had already won eight events and was leading the competition with 7,410 points.

But Rooth’s incredible run throughout the course of the two days came to an explosive end when he threw a javelin that measured 66.87 meters, his fifth personal best of the Games. He moved up to the top of the standings with only 16 points separating him and Neugebauer, who was in second position.

In the 1500m, Rooth performed well enough to maintain his lead and guarantee his spot in the annals of the combined event.

Photo: Bernama