Canada's Damian Warner falls short of Hypo Meeting decathlon title repeat, placing 6th

It was an uncharacteristic Hypo Meeting performance in the decathlon by eight-time defending champion Damian Warner, and unfortunate end to the weekend for Canadian teammate Piercy LePage, who won in 2023.

Warner, who won last year and was eyeing a record-extending ninth title at the 50th edition of the event, finished sixth with 8,527 points in Götzis, Austria.

He amassed 8,678 a year ago across 10 events over two days at Mösle Stadium.

LePage, who didn't compete in Götzis in 2024 and at the Paris Olympics last summer with a back injury, exited Sunday's competition when he fell after hitting a hurdle knocked down by Switzerland's Simon Ehammer.

Warner moved up one spot after finishing Saturday's five events in fifth, having compiled 4,424 points from the 100 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400.

The 35-year-old from London, Ont., sat fifth entering Sunday's 1,500 — the weekend's final event — 7,837 points, 287 behind eventual winner Sander Skotheim of Norway.

Warner covered the 1,500 in four minutes 38.44 seconds, well off his 4:24.73 personal best.

He opened Sunday in the 110m hurdles, placing second to Ehammer (13.57 seconds) with a season-best 13.76 in the fifth and final group. Warner holds the world-leading and meet record of 13.36.

The four-time world championship medallist threw 47.34m in his first of three tries in discus for seventh before finishing 10th of 12 with a 4.70m effort in pole vault. He missed all three attempts at 4.80.

Warner was fourth in Group A javelin, throwing 62.30m on his first try.

He had his "worst nightmare come true" at last summer's Olympic Games in Paris, where he triple-faulted in the pole vault.

LePage, who had surgery last August for a herniated disc, was 11th at the halfway mark, taking 4,315 points into Sunday's final five events. The 29-year-old from Whitby, Ont., bowed out of the competition after placing ninth of 15 in discus with a throw of 47.15.

After falling in the hurdles, he was allowed a re-run and posted a time of 14.59 seconds. LePage ran 13.77 in the 2023 world decathlon in Budapest, Hungary.

That was the most successful season of his career when he became the first Canadian to win a world title in decathlon.

Also in 2023, LePage halted Warner's streak of seven consecutive Hypo Meeting titles for his first victory in international competition.

The Hypo Meeting is the biggest multi-event competition in the world, outside of the Olympics and world championships. It's considered a measuring stick for decathletes as they prepare for the Sept. 13-21 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.