Olympic medalist Leo Neugebauer starts the season in Götzis at the weekend. Is the decathlon star a historic coup? Niklas Kaul also starts in Austria.
8,836 points in 2023. Even 8,961 points a year later. And now the first 9,000? Leo Neugebauer could be a historic coup again at the start of the season-does the athletics star from VfB Stuttgart crack the magical 9,000-point mark in the all-around Mecca Götzis as the first German decathlon?
“I try to always do my best in the ten disciplines to call up my maximum,” says Neugebauer: “It may be 9,000 points out, but my focus is just to work on myself and make sure that I always get a little better.”
Teens Leo Neugebauer: Preparation in college in the USA
Newbauer with Premiere start in Götzis
And in recent years, the second of the Olympics has managed to do that like no other. The old German record Neugebauer has now improved twice by Jürgen Hingsen. At the Olympic Games in Paris, the two -meter -tall and over 100 kilo model athlete 2024 won its first important medal – the silver medal was a liberation.
But Neugebauer is far from fed up. The 24 -year -old is now a professional, has concluded some sponsorship contracts – and lives and trains in Texas after completing his conclusion in economics. However, because Neugebauer no longer has to take part in the college competitions, he can now start at the legendary meeting in Götzis for the first time at the weekend. In order to get used to the time change, he got the finishing touches in Leverkusen in the past few days.
Niklas Kaul also starts in Decathlon-mecca Götzis
The former world and European champion Niklas Kaul from Mainz also wants to take a speed like Neugebauer in Austria. At the dike meeting in Neuwied almost two weeks ago, Kaul and Neugebauer started a first form test after the winter break in four disciplines (110-meter hurdles, discus, high jump, 400 meters). In Götzis, the first real hardest test is to take place on the way to the World Cup in Tokyo (13th to 21st September). World champion Pierce Lepage (Canada) will also compete, while Olympic champion Markus Rooth (Norway) will not be at the start.
Götzis is not just a competition for the decathlon, Götzis is a kind of myth – and celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Three decathlon world records were set up in the Möslestadion, Roman Sebrle was the first to crack the 9,000 mark there in 2001. Neugebauer would have to put 39 points on his German record – actually not much, but everything has to fit.
