Pierce LePage of Whitby, Ontario and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Damian Warner of London, Ontario won the gold and silver medals respectively for Canada in the men’s decathlon at the 2023 World Track and Field Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday. It was truly a monumental result, as it was only the second time ever that Team Canada won gold and silver in the same event at the World Track and Field Championships.
The first time came at the 1995 World Track and Field Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, as Canadian Olympic gold medalists Donovan Bailey of Oakville, Ontario and Bruny Surin of Montreal, Quebec won gold and silver respectively in the men’s 100 metres. Bailey won the gold medal in the men’s 100 metres and then teamed up with Surin to win gold in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
LePage had 8908 points. Warner had 8804 points. Lindon Victor of Grenada won the bronze medal with 8756 points. LePage reached the podium by 228 points over Karel Tilga of Estonia who had 8681 points. Warner reached the podium by 123 points.
In the decathlon, LePage had a 100 metre time of 10.45 seconds (fourth best), long jump of 7.59 metres (eighth best), shot put throw of 15.81 metres (third best), high jump of 2.08 metres (third best), 400 metre time of 47.21 seconds (fifth best), 110 metre hurdle time of 13.77 seconds (second best), discus throw of 50.98 metres (second best), pole vault jump of 5.2 metres (second best), javelin throw of 60.9 metres (seventh best), and 1500 metre time of 4:39.88 (13th best). Warner, who won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, had a 100 metre time of 10.32 seconds (fastest), long jump of 7.77 metres (third best), shot put throw of 15.03 metres (10th best), high jump of 2.05 metres (fourth best), 400 metre time of 47.86 seconds (sixth best), 110 metre hurdle time of 13.67 seconds (fastest), discus throw of 45.82 metres (seventh best), pole vault throw of 4.9 metres (sixth best), javelin throw of 63.09 metres (sixth best), and a 1500 metre time of 4:27.73 (seventh best).
This is LePage’s second medal at the World Track and Field Championships. The first came in Eugene, Oregon in 2022, as LePage won silver. Warner has now won four medals at the World Track and Field Championships. He won bronze in Moscow in 2013, silver in Beijing in 2015, and bronze in Doha in 2019. The medals for LePage and Warner will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
At the 2023 World Track and Field Championships, Canada finished with six medals. They won four gold medals and two silver medals.
