World Championships Helsinki 1983

The men’s decathlon at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics was a landmark competition – it was the first-ever IAAF World Championships, so this was the first decathlon world title ever awarded. This championship continued the fierce Thompson vs. Hingsen rivalry of the 1980s. Hingsen had set world records in 1982 and 1983, but Thompson consistently beat him in head-to-head competitions.