|
 For Warner, who grew up two hours from the Pan Am stadium, the
considerable risk was worth the reward, a Games gold on home soil in
front of his mom to hang alongside the Commonwealth Games gold he
won last year.
But it is Olympic and world championship titles that really matter.
The biggest of these will be on offer a year from now at the Rio
Summer Games, the other up for grabs next month in Beijing.
Regarded as the ultimate athletes, decathletes generally compete in
full 10-event competitions just twice a year.
Warner will attempt to jam two major competitions on two different
continents into five weeks.
The 25-year-old did not come to the Pan Ams as a tune-up for the
worlds, targeting instead the 19-year-old national record of 8,626
points held by Michael Smith and smashing it with a personal best
score of 8,659.
"I knew I wanted the Canadian record so bad, I didn't think there
was a better place to get it than here at home," said Warner, who
competed in his first decathlon at the same York University site.
"Before the 1,500 meters I saw my mom and my uncle and a whole bunch
of friends and I was a little emotional and I just tried to hold it
all together and I go out there and take care of business."
The toll for competing in 10 events crammed into two grueling days
is considered one of the sport's supreme tests, so much so that the
Olympic champion is crowned with the mythical title of world's
greatest athlete.
It is a crown that many, including current Olympic champion and
world record holder Ashton Eaton of the United States, believe
Warner could achieve.
Based on results since he was unable to watch the competition in the
States, Eaton told Reuters via email there likely "were some ups
where he (Warner) probably thought 'Man I’m on a roll' and there
were some downs when he may have thought 'Can I even get an overall
PB?'
"When there were downs he responded well, either in the next event
or next attempt. When you go through all that and keep fighting you
truly have a decathlon mentality, then you score big.
"He’s ready for Worlds."
Fifth at 2012 London Olympics, in only his 10th decathlon, bronze
medal winner at 2013 worlds and 2014 Commonwealth Games champion,
Warner confirmed at the Pan Am Games his place among the decathlon
elite.
"I like to believe I'm still young, a couple of years ago I could do
four decathlons a year and only have a month in between," said
Warner. "I believe I still have some fresh legs so I think five
weeks will be plenty of time."
[to top of second column] |
Like 20-year-old Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse who thrilled the
crowd with his 100m victory on Wednesday, Warner oozes natural
athleticism that must be harnessed and refined.
Decathletes must possess the explosive power of a sprinter, the
long-bursting endurance of a middle distance runner, the power of a
shot putter and the ability to glide over hurdles.
And to be a gold-medal winning decathlete you must be close to world
class in all of them.
Warner opened the competition on Wednesday by posting personal bests
in the 100 metres (10.28) and long jump (7.68m) was eighth in the
shot put (14.36m), cleared 1.97 metres in the high jump and capped
off the day by winning the 400m (47.66).
He got Day Two off to a bright start, posting a personal best in the
110m hurdles (13.44 seconds), tossing the discus a lifetime best
47.56m, clearing a modest 4.60m in the pole vault and throwing the
javelin 61.53m.
With the long-standing national record within his grasp, Warner
stepped to the line in the final event, the 1,500m, needing a time
of four minutes 29 seconds to topple the mark.
He did what champions do, and delivered, charging across the line
with hands raised to the roar of partisan crowd in a personal best
of 4:24.73.
"When I came to track everybody and myself knew I had to run a fast
time in the 1,500. I just tried to feed off the crowd," said Warner.
"I wouldn't have been able to run that time without them.
"Nothing is ever given to you. Something crazy could happen in the
last 100 meters so you just have to take it step by step and
celebrate at the end when I knew I had it in the bag."
(Editing by Gene Cherry)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
