(Born January 21, 1988) IT IS INDISPUTABLE THAT THE WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT IS THE CURRENT WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN THE DECATHLON. OREGON’S VERY OWN ASHTON EATON HOLDS THAT TITLE, EVEN IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS RETIREMENT FOLLOWING AN AMAZING COMPEITIVE CAREER.

EATON’S BODY OF WORK IS SPECTACULAR. FIVE-TIME NCAA CHAMPION COMPETING FOR THE MEN OF OREGON; MULTIPLE WORLD RECORDS IN BOTH THE DECATHLON AND INDOOR HEPTATHLON; FIVE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE MULTI-EVENTS AND BACK-TO-BACK OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS IN DECATHLON. THAT IS A FEAT ONLY TWO OTHER MEN HAVE EVER ACHIEVED, BOB MATHIAS AND DALEY THOMPSON, BOTH LEGENDS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.

IT IS SAID THAT DECATHLON IS AN EVENT THAT FINDS THE ATHLETE. A YOUNG ASHTON EATON WAS A FOOTBALL PLAYER AND SPRINTER AT MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL IN BEND. A STATE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPION IN THE 400 AND LONG JUMP, EATON THOUGHT HIS FUTURE WOULD BE A 2-SPORT ATHLETE AT A SMALL COLLEGE. IT TOOK SOME NUDGING FROM HIS HIGH SCHOOL COACH TATE METCALF TO PERSUE THE GRUELING 10-EVENT COMPEITION THAT MAKES UP THE DECATHLON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON.

WHEN EATON ARRIVED ON CAMPUS HE HAD NEVER COMPETED IN 7 OF THE 10 EVENTS. THERE WAS EXCELLENT COACHING TO BE HAD FROM DAN STEELE AND LATER HARRY MARRA. EATON QUICKLY EMERGED AS A RISING STAR. SECOND PLACE AT THE PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS, 3RD AT USA JUNIORS AND A TRIP TO THE PAN AM JUNIORS. THE GOLD MEDALS AND THE RECORD SETTING BEGAN SOON AFTERWARD. BY THE END OF HIS COLLEGE CAREER ASHTON EATON WAS THE FIRST EVER COLLEGIAN TO WIN THREE CONSECUTIVE DECATHLON TITLES.

EATON’S ABILITY TO TRULY DOMINATE THE MULTI-EVENT WAS FIRST REVEALED IN THE 2012 USA OLYMPIC TRIALS. ASHTON SET DECATHLON WORLD RECORDS IN THE 100 METERS AND THE LONG JUMP AND BY THE END OF THE SECOND DAY HAD BROKEN THE AMERICAN AND WORLD RECORDS WITH AN INCREDIBLE 9,039 POINTS. ONE YEAR AFTER WINNING HIS FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN LONDON, HE MARRIED FELLOW MULTI-EVENT STAR BRIANNE THEISEN. EATON BROKE HIS OWN RECORD THREE YEARS LATER AT THE 2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BEIJING.

ASHTON’S PHILOSOPHY OF TRAINING AND COMPETING IS TO SIMPLY TRY TO IMPROVE ON WHAT YOU DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
ASHTON EATON HAS RETIRED AT THE TOP OF HIS SPORT. HE HAS BIG IDEAS ON WHAT TO DO WITH THE REST OF HIS LIFE FOCUSING ON THE HEALTH OF THE PLANET AND WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE BETTER LIVES. EATON ALSO SHOWED HE IS STILL A DANGEROUS COMPETITOR APPEARING ON AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR.

THE WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE IS STILL LIVING OUT HIS LEGACY. WELCOME ASHTON EATON TO THE OREGON SPORTS HALL OF FAME.