Canada’s Damian Warner opened his quest for an Olympic decathlon title in emphatic fashion.
The 31-year-old from London, Ont., ran 10.12 seconds in the 100 metres to tie his decathlon world record in the event.
Warner is the No. 1-ranked decathlete in the world this year after shattering his Canadian record at the Hypo-Meeting in Gotzis, Austria. His score of 8,995 there was the fourth best in history.
WATCH | Warner ties record in decathlon’s 100 metres:
Pierce LePage of Whitby, Ont., ran 10.43, the third-fastest time on the morning. Australia’s Ashley Moloney was second (10.34).
Warner’s record-breaking performance in May came after a winter of training in an unheated hockey arena in London. COVID-19 protocols shut down the University of Western Ontario indoor track facility, and his coaches outfitted the arena with a 40-metre track runway, pole vault and high jump pits, and a throwing circle.
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The decathletes face gruelling conditions in Tokyo. The temperature at Olympic Stadium at 9 a.m. for the 100 metres was 33 C, but felt like 47 C with the humidity.
The decathlon features 10 events over two days. They still have the long jump, shot put, high jump, and 400 metres on Wednesday. Thursday’s Day 2 events are the 110-metre hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and the 1,500 metres.
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