In search of his first ever World Championship decathlon title, Damian Warner and his team are going back to the formula which produced his greatest success. “Going to [Tokyo] Japan is something that we did in 2021 for the Olympics when Damian won a gold medal and set the Olympic record,” said Gar Leyshon, Warner’s coach. “We’re doing exactly the same thing this time. We’re staying in the same hotel, doing the same training camp at the same track for the same amount of time.” That was during the pandemic, and Warner was unable to take in the full experience in Tokyo. This time will be different. “We’re actually able to leave the hotel instead of just kind of being secluded to the area,” said Warner. “It will be nice to go back to a place that you’re familiar with but also be able to explore and taking things that you haven’t seen before.” On the track, Warner, 35, has experienced a roller coaster of results since that gold medal performance. “As an athlete, that’s something that I’ve grown to appreciate, the ups and the downs of the decathlon,” said Warner. “It’s really, really cool when you can go out there and you can put up 9,018 points and break an Olympic record. It’s not so fun when you go there and you no height in an event like Pole Vault at the Olympic Games. At the same time, you take those both in and you learn from them.” Learning is what he’s been focusing on in preparation for the World Track and Field Championships from Sept. 13-21. His body didn’t allow him to compete at his best at the HypoMeeting in Götzis, Austria earlier this year. Eyeing a record-extending ninth title, he finished sixth with a total of 8,527 points. “His knee was bothering him and he couldn’t be as explosive in his normally is,” said Leyshon. “But 8500 points, only 60 people in the history of the world have ever done that. So, for him, a disappointing decathlon would be the best for a lot of people.” The grueling sport takes extreme skill in all 10 events, and it takes time to learn the ins and outs of each discipline. “While doing that, you want to make sure that you’re not losing anything in the events that are your strong points,” said Warner. “For me, it’s making sure that the hurdles, the 100 metre [dash], and the long jump are where they need to be while also improving some of the events have given me problems in the past. Warner said after his disappointing 2024 Olympic Games, he would assess his future year by year. That is still the case. “I remember having a conversation with (NBA Legend) Vince Carter a long time ago, and I asked him ‘When do you think you’ll hang it up?’ And he said, ‘When I’m not enjoying it anymore’. Thankfully for me that that process hasn’t started yet.” What his future holds could be informed by his performance in Japan. Leyshon believes Warner is still improving in some events and thinks he has a lot left in the tank. “If we get him there healthy and feeling good, I think everybody will see that he’s still the same guy,” said Leyshon.
