After tearing an elbow ligament in the Decathlon javelin at the World Championships in Daegu in 2011, but still claiming the World title, Trey Hardee, a former Texas Longhorn of the USA, had to have it fixed and rehabilitated in order to fulfill his dream of earning an Olympic medal. This dream had turned into a nightmare with a no-mark in the 2008 Beijing Games pole vault. In the London 2012 Games, everything was on track up to the point of, yet again, the javelin throw. The plan seems to have been to get a safety throw in, then go for it within reason with regards to the repaired elbow. A good throw could secure a medal; this could be the tipping point.
Watch how this moment unfolds, sincere celebration and the subsequent Decathlon conclusion. It was a brilliant moment to behold. The end result for Trey Hardee was a sweet silver medal and about the 10th best Olympic Decathlon score ever of 8,671 points. The gold was earned by the new world record holder, Ashton Eaton, and the silver was claimed by Cuba´s Leonel Suarez.
The decathletes of the world overcome various adversity in order to be the greatest athletes of the world. Cheers to them all and appreciation for all the hard work and dedication. In itself, competing in Decathlon in the Olympic Games is a monumental triumph. Witnessing that competition is an inspiration and a thrill.
