GENEVA, Ohio — The two-day inaugural Women’s Decathlon World Championship presented by Oiselle was held this weekend in Geneva to prove a point to the International Olympic Committee that females are capable of the sport and should be allowed to compete.
Lauren Kuntz and Jordan Gray helped organize the meet.
A decathlon comprises of 10 events:
- 100-meter race
- Long jump
- Shot put
- High jump
- 400-meter race
- 110-meter hurdles
- Discus throw
- Pole vault
- Javelin throw
- 1500 meter
“The first day is all about speed and power and the second day is all about skill and rhythm. The first day, they say is for the athletes and the second day is for the decathletes,” said Gray.
Roughly 40 female athletes from 12 countries participated in the competition.
There was an elite and developmental level. The elite athletes are “near professionals,” whereas the developmental athletes are those who are newer to the sport.
“They're the best in their country,” added Gray.
One of those athletes is Uxia Pereira Alonso from Spain. She said she specializes in the hurdle portion of the decathlon.
“I wish we were also in Paris, but it feels great,” said Pereira Alonso. “We're capable of doing it and we should be doing it at the same time as the guys. I guess it's a way to show the world we're here.”
Currently, the Olympics allows for women to compete in the heptathlon, which consists of seven events. However, the decathlon is only open to male athletes.
“It's the last remaining inequality in track and field,” said Kuntz. “We are here in Geneva, Ohio having the first ever world championship for women's decathlon. It's a bit of a protest meet to say that we can do 10 events just like the men.”
“I want the six-year-olds who are watching the Olympics right now and they watch some guy get crowned world's greatest athlete to think they can do that one day. That's really the biggest goal is to really inspire the next generation coming up,” said Gray.
The Director of Marketing and Community Outreach for Play Gap, Elise Vue, said having a competition as such also promotes a healthy lifestyle for women.
Play Gap is a nonprofit organization based in Cleveland. It promotes and advocates for women in sports.
“We're trying to help expand awareness for the opportunities that are right here,” said Vue. “I'd be lying if I said it wasn't intimidating because it is but just know there are women supporting you and surrounding you. You don't have to feel embarrassed because we all started there at some point. Just know that you're going to be uplifted by other women who have been there and will help you get to the level that you want to be at,” she added.
Gray created a petition in 2021 that currently has over 31,000 signatures. The petition is a request to the International Olympic Committee to allow women to compete in the decathlon.
“The hope is that LA 2028 will have an exhibition of the women's decathlon. And then maybe in 2032 it'll be an actual event,” said Kuntz.
Gray is hoping to compete at the Olympic level in the decathlon. She has represented Team USA in the heptathlon three times before.
She’s not only hoping for equality in sports but a chance to show younger generations anything is possible.
“If you're ever a female pioneer, never take that initial no just because you're a girl,” stated Gray.
While Kuntz competed in the decathlon in Geneva, she said she will likely be in retirement when the decathlon is open to women in the Olympics.
“I know that I'm going to have a part in that gold medal and it's going to be incredibly special and even just this weekend seeing these women out here competing, realizing that it's like the field of dreams. If you build it, they will come and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said Kuntz. “One thing organizing a competition like this has really taught me is that so many of the decisions even at the elite competition level come down to business decisions at the end of the day. This is not just a hearts and minds issue. We obviously care about that deeply. But what world athletics and decision makers are looking at is what the women's decathlon product will look like. What is so important for us in this movement is that you come out and support any way that you can to sort of say, ‘Hey, there is interest in this. We would tune in. We would watch it.’”
For more information on women’s decathlon, CLICK HERE.
Gray said next year’s world championship will be open to men and hopes to have it earlier in the year.
The winner of the Women Decathlon Overall Developmental is Daniela Alejandro from Puerto Rico. The winner of the Women Decathlon Overall Elite is Allison Halverson from Armenia.
Halverson claimed the gold, with a final score of 7,236 points – setting a women’s decathlon 100m world record as well as Armenian national records in the decathlon and pole vault en route to the title.
France’s Roseva Bidois took the silver, with 6,962 points and USA’s Jordyn Bruce claimed the bronze with a total of 6,723 points.
Full event results can be found here.
