Overview
- Leo Neugebauer won the Ratingen decathlon with 8,573 points on Monday, June 29, 2026, and set meeting records in the discus (53.32 m), shot put (16.95 m) and long jump (7.67 m).
- The competition took place in extreme heat with temperatures near 36°C, a condition competitors said made top performances harder and underlined the toughness of Neugebauer’s win.
- Former German decathlete Jürgen Hingsen publicly said Neugebauer could one day break Kevin Mayer’s world record of 9,126 points if everything aligns, calling Neugebauer physically and mentally very settled.
- Neugebauer said the world record is possible but stressed he will take competitions one decathlon at a time and avoid extra pressure; his personal best remains 8,961 points from 2024 which is 165 points short of Mayer’s mark.
- The Ratingen result reinforces Neugebauer’s status as a leading favourite for the European Championships in Birmingham and suggests small gains across events could put him in realistic contention for record-level totals.