Cast List

Daley Thompson:  British Decathlon Champion

Richard Slaney:  British Discus Record Holder 1982

Daley Thompson		Jurgen Hingsen

 

Dr Otto Szymiczek:  Director of 1982 Athens European Game 

Jurgen Hingsen:  German Decathlon Champion

 

Richard Slaney with Otto Szymiczek in the museum at Olympia

Opening ceremony in the new Athens stadium for the 1982  European Games

Daley filming with Otto and Richard in the ancient stadium at Olympia

The ancient Greek Pentathlon of five events are shown below in black and white, and alongside are added in colour the modern Decathlon disciplines of ten events.

(Daley's 1982 world record distances and timings are given below each discipline)

Wrestling was the fifth event in ancient Greece only, but both modern and ancient begin with the stadium race.  Dr Otto Szymiczek explains to Daley the difference in throwing styles between the ancient and modern javelin and discus, as well as the ingenious ancient way of beginning a race to avoid false starts. 

Wrestling is not in the modern Decathlon - an ancient wrestler easing muscle pain

It was during the discus that Daley really showed he was on super-form as his longest throw was 39.82m to Hingsen's 42.68m, but his final throw made 45.48m and from then on he was on a winning streak.

The film also tries to unravel the mystery of the ancient long-jump with weights.

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