RIO DE JANEIRO — The decathletes, long ago a source of greater fascination, were in no position Thursday night to be anything more than a warm-up act for the headliner Usain Bolt.
There is no dishonor in that. Bolt, with his easy charm and easily understood talents, is an irresistible force in the attention-grabbing department.
Even before the Rio Olympics, he was considered the greatest sprinter ever. Now he is the first, and quite possibly the last, to sweep the 100 meters and the 200 meters in three consecutive Games.
But there is potential all-time greatness at work in the decathlon, too, and Ashton Eaton has a very different task and style than Bolt.