A heptathlon is a track and field combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek ἑπτά (hepta, meaning "seven") and ἄθλος (áthlos, or ἄθλον, áthlon, meaning "competition"). A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.
There are two heptathlons – the men's and the women's heptathlon – composed of different events. The men's heptathlon is older and is currently held indoors, contested at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics. The women's heptathlon is held outdoors and was introduced in the 1980s, first appearing in the Olympics in 1984. It is currently contested in the athletics programme of the Olympics and at the World Athletics Championships.
Infobox
Men
Ashton Eaton 6645 pts (2012)
Women
Jackie Joyner-Kersee 7128 pts (1987)
Tables
· Women's heptathlon › Points system
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
200 metres
200 metres
Event
200 metres
a
4.99087
b
42.5
c
1.81
800 metres
800 metres
Event
800 metres
a
0.11193
b
254
c
1.88
100 metres hurdles
100 metres hurdles
Event
100 metres hurdles
a
9.23076
b
26.7
c
1.835
High jump
High jump
Event
High jump
a
1.84523
b
75
c
1.348
Long jump
Long jump
Event
Long jump
a
0.188807
b
210
c
1.41
Shot put
Shot put
Event
Shot put
a
56.0211
b
1.5
c
1.05
Javelin throw
Javelin throw
Event
Javelin throw
a
15.9803
b
3.8
c
1.04
Ranked list
Event
a
b
c
200 metres
4.99087
42.5
1.81
800 metres
0.11193
254
1.88
100 metres hurdles
9.23076
26.7
1.835
High jump
1.84523
75
1.348
Long jump
0.188807
210
1.41
Shot put
56.0211
1.5
1.05
Javelin throw
15.9803
3.8
1.04
· Women's heptathlon › Benchmarks
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
100 m hurdles
100 m hurdles
Event
100 m hurdles
1000 pts
13.85
900 pts
14.56
800 pts
15.32
700 pts
16.12
Unit
Seconds
High jump
High jump
Event
High jump
1000 pts
1.82
900 pts
1.74
800 pts
1.66
700 pts
1.57
Unit
Metres
Shot put
Shot put
Event
Shot put
1000 pts
17.07
900 pts
15.58
800 pts
14.09
700 pts
12.58
Unit
Metres
200 m
200 m
Event
200 m
1000 pts
23.80
900 pts
24.86
800 pts
25.97
700 pts
27.14
Unit
Seconds
Long jump
Long jump
Event
Long jump
1000 pts
6.48
900 pts
6.17
800 pts
5.84
700 pts
5.50
Unit
Metres
Javelin throw
Javelin throw
Event
Javelin throw
1000 pts
57.18
900 pts
52.04
800 pts
46.87
700 pts
41.68
Unit
Metres
800 m
800 m
Event
800 m
1000 pts
2:07.63
900 pts
2:14.52
800 pts
2:21.77
700 pts
2:29.47
Unit
Minutes:Seconds
Ranked list
Event
1000 pts
900 pts
800 pts
700 pts
Unit
100 m hurdles
13.85
14.56
15.32
16.12
Seconds
High jump
1.82
1.74
1.66
1.57
Metres
Shot put
17.07
15.58
14.09
12.58
Metres
200 m
23.80
24.86
25.97
27.14
Seconds
Long jump
6.48
6.17
5.84
5.50
Metres
Javelin throw
57.18
52.04
46.87
41.68
Metres
800 m
2:07.63
2:14.52
2:21.77
2:29.47
Minutes:Seconds
World records (WR) compared with heptathlon bests (HB)· Women's heptathlon › Women's world records compared with heptathlon bests
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
100 m hurdles
100 m hurdles
Event
100 m hurdles
Type
WR
Athlete
Tobi Amusan
Record
12.12 s
Score
1261
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Jessica Ennis
Athlete
12.54 s (+1.3 m/s)
Record
1195
Score
−66
Difference in points value
3 August 2012
Date
London
High jump
High jump
Event
High jump
Type
WR
Athlete
Yaroslava Mahuchikh
Record
2.10 m
Score
1373
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Nafissatou Thiam
Athlete
2.02 m
Record
1264
Score
−109
Difference in points value
22 June 2019
Date
Talence
Shot put
Shot put
Event
Shot put
Type
WR
Athlete
Natalya Lisovskaya
Record
22.63 m
Score
1378
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Austra Skujytė
Athlete
17.31 m
Record
1016
Score
−362
Difference in points value
3 August 2012
Date
London
200 m
200 m
Event
200 m
Type
WR
Athlete
Florence Griffith Joyner
Record
21.34 s
Score
1251
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Jackie Joyner Kersee
Athlete
22.30 s (+0.0 m/s)
Record
1150
Score
−101
Difference in points value
15 July 1988
Date
Indianapolis
Long jump
Long jump
Event
Long jump
Type
WR
Athlete
Galina Chistyakova
Record
7.52 m
Score
1351
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Jackie Joyner Kersee
Athlete
7.27 m (+0.7 m/s)
Record
1264
Score
−87
Difference in points value
24 September 1988
Date
Seoul
Javelin
Javelin
Event
Javelin
Type
WR
Athlete
Barbora Špotáková
Record
72.28 m
Score
1295
Notes/Ref.
Current 1999 model
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Barbora Špotáková
Athlete
60.90 m
Record
1072
Score
−223
Difference in points value
16 September 2012
Date
Talence
Place
Current 1999 model
WR
WR
Event
WR
Type
Petra Felke
Athlete
80.00 m
Record
1448
Place
Old model
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Tessa Sanderson
Athlete
64.64 m
Record
1145
Score
−303
Place
Old model
800 m
800 m
Event
800 m
Type
WR
Athlete
Jarmila Kratochvílová
Record
1:53.28 min:s
Score
1224
HB
HB
Event
HB
Type
Anna Hall
Athlete
2:01.23 min:s
Record
1097
Score
−127
Difference in points value
1 June 2025
Date
Götzis
Total
Total
Event
Total
Type
World record
Athlete
9133
Heptathlon bests
Heptathlon bests
Event
Heptathlon bests
Type
8058
Athlete
−1075
Ranked list
Event
Type
Athlete
Record
Score
Difference in points value
Date
Place
Notes/Ref.
100 m hurdles
WR
Tobi Amusan
12.12 s
1261
HB
Jessica Ennis
12.54 s (+1.3 m/s)
1195
−66
3 August 2012
London
High jump
WR
Yaroslava Mahuchikh
2.10 m
1373
HB
Nafissatou Thiam
2.02 m
1264
−109
22 June 2019
Talence
Shot put
WR
Natalya Lisovskaya
22.63 m
1378
HB
Austra Skujytė
17.31 m
1016
−362
3 August 2012
London
200 m
WR
Florence Griffith Joyner
21.34 s
1251
HB
Jackie Joyner Kersee
22.30 s (+0.0 m/s)
1150
−101
15 July 1988
Indianapolis
Long jump
WR
Galina Chistyakova
7.52 m
1351
HB
Jackie Joyner Kersee
7.27 m (+0.7 m/s)
1264
−87
24 September 1988
Seoul
Javelin
WR
Barbora Špotáková
72.28 m
1295
Current 1999 model
HB
Barbora Špotáková
60.90 m
1072
−223
16 September 2012
Talence
Current 1999 model
WR
Petra Felke
80.00 m
1448
Old model
HB
Tessa Sanderson
64.64 m
1145
−303
Old model
800 m
WR
Jarmila Kratochvílová
min:s
1224
HB
Anna Hall
min:s
1097
−127
1 June 2025
Götzis
Total
World record
9133
Heptathlon bests
8058
−1075
· Indoor heptathlon › Benchmarks
Multi-metric bars
World heat map
60 m
60 m
Event
60 m
1000pts
6.68
Units
Seconds
Long jump
Long jump
Event
Long jump
1000pts
7.76
Units
Metres
Shot put
Shot put
Event
Shot put
1000pts
18.40
Units
Metres
High jump
High jump
Event
High jump
1000pts
2.21
Units
Metres
60 m hurdles
60 m hurdles
Event
60 m hurdles
1000pts
7.69
Units
Seconds
Pole vault
Pole vault
Event
Pole vault
1000pts
5.29
Units
Metres
1000 m
1000 m
Event
1000 m
1000pts
2:29.00
Units
Minutes:Seconds
Ranked list
Event
1000pts
Units
60 m
6.68
Seconds
Long jump
7.76
Metres
Shot put
18.40
Metres
High jump
2.21
Metres
60 m hurdles
7.69
Seconds
Pole vault
5.29
Metres
1000 m
2:29.00
Minutes:Seconds
World indoor records (WR) compared with heptathlon bests (HB)· Indoor heptathlon › Men's world records compared with heptathlon bests