Whitby’s Pierce LePage puts Canada on decathlon podium with surprise silver after idol’s injury

EUGENE, Ore.—Canada’s Pierce LePage crossed the finish line in the final event of the decathlon, the dreaded 1,500 metres, and collapsed on the grass infield knowing he had just won a medal at the world track and field championships.

The 26-year-old from Whitby, who finished fifth at last summer’s Tokyo Olympics, pulled out a series of personal bests over two days to win silver with 8,701 points.

France’s world-record holder Kevin Mayer won gold with 8,816 points, and American Zachery Ziemek took bronze in 8,676.

LePage wasn’t the Canadian most people expected to see win a medal here. That would have been LePage’s idol: Olympic champion Damian Warner. But the fifth event at the end of day one, the 400 metres, was a moment of heartbreak and triumph for Canada’s decathletes.

Warner, in the lead and looking to close out the first day with a fast lap around the track, pulled up with a hamstring injury. He tumbled from first to 21st and didn’t start day two.

That very same race is where LePage made his move from fifth to the podium — second overall with a personal-best 400-metre run of 46.84 seconds. But the decathlon is 10 events over two gruelling days, so the 26-year-old knew a podium finish was far from a done deal.

“My coach always says the decathlon starts on the second day,” LePage said Saturday night. “So I’m ready to show that I’m a decathlete.”

He did that with gusto on Sunday. He started off by delivering two more personal bests. He won the 110-metre hurdles in 13.78 seconds, narrowing the gap in the standings, then moved into first by pulling out his best-ever throw in discus.

After a two-hour pole vault competition he was still in the lead, but fell to second behind Mayer after the javelin.

The 1,500 metres is no decathlete’s favourite. It’s the only endurance event over two days that reward speed, pop and strength. LePage knew he couldn’t catch Mayer and shadowed Ziemek, who was just 11 points back in third, to hold on to a silver medal.

LePage’s medal at Hayward Field brought Canada’s total to four at the worlds: gold, two silvers and a bronze. Camryn Rogers started it off a week ago with silver in the women’s hammer throw. Marco Arop won bronze in the men’s 800 metres Saturday night, followed by gold for the men’s 4×100-metre relay team.

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