What are the events in a decathlon and a heptathlon?

The men's decathlon is the 100 m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 m, 110 m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 m. The women's heptathlon is the 100 m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 m, long jump, javelin and 800 m.

How are hand-timed races scored?

The IAAF scoring tables add a fixed adjustment to hand-timed results before scoring: 0.24 seconds for events below 400 m and 0.14 seconds for the 400 m. Events longer than 400 m have no adjustment.

Are the points the same for men and women?

No. Men and women have separate values of a, b and c for each event, and the women's decathlon and indoor pentathlon have their own tables. The calculator uses the correct set for the combined event you choose.

Why can my score differ from an official result?

This calculator evaluates the published formulas at the exact result you enter. Official results are scored with the World Athletics tables or approved scoring software, and the tables can be updated. For official use, check the current World Athletics scoring tables.

What score do I get for a very slow time or a very short jump?

Each formula has a limit (the value b). A performance at or beyond that limit scores 0 points in this calculator.

Decathlon & Heptathlon Points Calculator

Multi-sport games: schedules & medal results

Score each event and add up your combined events total with the IAAF scoring formulas

Your Results

Combined event

Timing

100 m (sec)

Long jump (m)

Shot put (m)

High jump (m)

400 m (sec)

110 m hurdles (sec)

Discus throw (m)

Pole vault (m)

Javelin throw (m)

1500 m (min:sec)

Leave an event blank to score only the events you have done.

Results

Enter your event results

This is what your result will look like

Scoring tables: Scores use the formulas from the IAAF Scoring Tables for Combined Events, 2001 edition (reprinted 2004). World Athletics can revise its tables, and official results are scored with the current World Athletics tables or approved scoring software. Results here are formula scores for the exact performance entered.

What is a Decathlon & Heptathlon Points Calculator?

In a decathlon or heptathlon, every performance is turned into points and the points of all events are added together. The athlete with the most points wins. This calculator scores each event with the IAAF (now World Athletics) combined events scoring formulas and adds up the total, for the men's decathlon, women's heptathlon, women's decathlon, men's indoor heptathlon and women's indoor pentathlon.

There are three formulas. Track events use P = a × (b − T)^c with T in seconds. Jumps use P = a × (M − b)^c with M in centimetres. Throws use P = a × (D − b)^c with D in metres. The values a, b and c are fixed for each event, and the points are rounded down to a whole number.

Worked example from the IAAF tables: a 10.40 second (electronic) 100 m in the men's decathlon scores 25.4347 × (18 − 10.40)^1.81 = 999 points. The same 10.4 hand-timed scores 942 points, because 0.24 seconds is added to hand-timed 100 m times before scoring.

Rounding

Down to a whole number

Jumps Measured In

Centimetres

Hand Timing

+0.24 s (<400 m)

Formulas Adopted

1984 Congress

How to Use This Calculator

Formula:Track: P = a × (b − T)^c | Jumps: P = a × (M − b)^c | Throws: P = a × (D − b)^c

Combined event: Pick the decathlon, heptathlon or pentathlon you want to score.

Timing: Choose Electronic for fully automatic timing, or Hand for hand-timed races. For hand timing, 0.24 s is added to times below 400 m and 0.14 s to the 400 m before scoring. There is no adjustment above 400 m.

Results: Enter times as seconds (10.43) or minutes and seconds (4:35.13), and jumps and throws in metres (8.07). You can leave events blank to see a part-way score.

Source: IAAF Scoring Tables for Combined Events, 2001 edition (reprinted 2004), formulae and parameters

Why Combined Events Scoring Matters

A combined event mixes sprints, jumps, throws and distance running, so there has to be one scale that makes a good javelin throw and a good 1500 m worth comparable points. The scoring formulas do that, which is why an athlete can win by being strong across all events without winning any single one.

The current formulas come from the tables adopted at the IAAF Congress in Los Angeles in 1984 and printed in 1985, and the tables have been updated since for things like measuring long throws to the centimetre and adding the women's decathlon.

Knowing the points per event helps athletes and coaches see where points can be gained. Points are not linear: the formulas reward better performances with increasingly more points.

?Frequently Asked Questions

Each of the ten events is scored with its own formula using fixed values a, b and c, then the ten scores are added. Track events use a × (b − time in seconds)^c, jumps use a × (measurement in centimetres − b)^c and throws use a × (distance in metres − b)^c. Each score is rounded down to a whole number.