Decathlon Gala: Gold for Leo Neugebauer, Silver for Niklas Kaul

Decathlon Gala: Gold for Neugebauer, Silver for Kaul

Stand: 13.08.2026 • 23:33 Uhr

Germany celebrates a double victory: World Champion Leo Neugebauer has also claimed the title at the Athletics European Championships, with Niklas Kaul securing a silver medal to complete a remarkable performance in the decathlon.

In the final event, the 1500-meter race, Neugebauer maintained his lead, finishing with a time of 4:38.36. He staggered and fell across the finish line, concluding the competition with a total of 8611 points. A year prior, Neugebauer had similarly struggled to finish, even requiring a wheelchair at one point. This time, he managed to recover unaided and celebrated with his family before collapsing again.

"I knew it was a win-win situation. I fought until the end, and Niklas did too. I’m just glad I could push through; the last 50 meters were really tough. Today was a crazy day for Germany," Neugebauer reflected, also highlighting the gold and bronze medals achieved in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase and men's discus throw.

Kaul Thrilled with Silver

Kaul, who ran a faster race, closed the gap on his teammate but still finished 38 points behind Neugebauer, needing to cut more than 24 seconds off his time. Ultimately, he clocked 4:20.70, 17.66 seconds behind Neugebauer. However, he managed to keep 2019 World Champion Sander Skotheim at bay, who took bronze with 8433 points after finishing in 4:25.99.

"I’m super happy. It’s great that it worked out this way. We had tough conditions with the wind and heat. I would have liked to run faster, but I was completely exhausted after 500 meters. I was just glad to make it to the finish. We’re leaving with gold and silver, which is a fantastic result," Kaul said in an interview with Sportschau.

Neugebauer Overcomes Pole Vault Controversy

Neugebauer had secured his lead with a spear throw of 60.10 meters, which was crucial for his gold medal defense. He had been in front since the second event, with competitors struggling to catch up. This victory marked his second major achievement within eleven months, showcasing his champion's mentality in challenging moments.

The competition was not without its challenges; during the pole vault, officials mistakenly set the bar ten centimeters too low for a successful attempt at 4.80 meters, forcing Neugebauer to jump again. The incorrect adjustments to the pole heights certainly drained his energy, but he managed to clear 4.90 meters later on. "That definitely cost me strength," he admitted, but fortunately, he still had enough left to compete.

Neugebauer started his second day sluggishly, finishing the 110-meter hurdles in 14.94 seconds. However, he soon set a new decathlon record in the discus throw with a distance of 54.31 meters, demonstrating his resilience throughout the competition.

Kaul's Strong Second Day

Kaul positioned himself well on the second day, sprinting 14.73 seconds over the hurdles, throwing the discus 48.88 meters, and clearing 4.90 meters in the pole vault. His spear throw of 73.54 meters propelled him to second place before the final event, which he ultimately secured.

This marked Kaul's second European Championship medal, following his gold in 2022.

Another standout performance came from Amadeus Gräber, who thrilled the crowd with a pole vault best of 5.10 meters. He finished the 1500 meters in a commendable 4:34.25, placing eighth in his European Championship debut.

"This was a great entry into the men's category, and it was a fantastic experience with the other two. I really enjoyed the pole vault, especially since I was the last to compete, and the audience was there just to see my jumps. That was amazing," Gräber said in an interview with Sportschau.

Withdrawal of Key Competitors

Before the competition began on Thursday, the field had already thinned for Neugebauer and Kaul. Defending champion Johannes Erm withdrew due to a knee injury, having limped across the finish line of the first day’s 400-meter race. Top decathlete Simon Ehammer from Switzerland opted to compete only in the long jump, where he won silver, while Norwegian Olympic champion Markus Rooth was also absent.