Through the years, the man who holds the Olympic decathlon title has traditionally been known as the world's greatest athlete. That title might not be as straightforward now as it was back when it was first bestowed upon Jim Thorpe, but there's no denying Ashton Eaton's worthiness.
The American became the third man ever to repeat as Olympic decathlon champion, taking gold Thursday night with 8,893 points to tie an Olympic record set in 2004.
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The competition was closer than expected, as Eaton entered the final event with only a 44-point lead over Kevin Mayer of France.