Nafissatou Thiam wins Décastar heptathlon in Talence with 6,482 points

Podium finish in Talence

Belgium's Nafissatou Thiam returned to heptathlon competition with a victory at the Décastar meeting in Talence, France, on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The 32-year-old athlete totaled 6,482 points across the two-day meeting to secure the top step of the podium. She finished 108 points ahead of runner-up Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers, who tallied 6,374 points, while fellow Belgian competitor Noor Vidts placed third with a total of 6,329 points. The Décastar event in Talence stands alongside the Götzis meeting in Austria, held annually in late May, as one of the two annual fixtures for international combined events. The victory marked Thiam's second triumph at the French venue, adding to her previous win at the 2019 edition where she recorded 6,819 points in her sole prior appearance.

Discipline scores and qualifying marks

Thiam built her victory in Talence by establishing season-best results in six of the seven individual events over the course of the weekend. Her strongest scoring came in the throwing events, where she delivered solid marks in both the shot put and the javelin. Despite securing first place, her final total of 6,482 points represents her lowest completed heptathlon score since the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, where she accumulated 6,298 points. The Talence tally also left her short of the 6,550-point standard set for automatic entry into the World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 2027 in Beijing. Her primary priority in France remained completing all seven disciplines safely without aggravating previous physical issues.

Physical and mental recovery

The outing in Talence was Thiam's first completed heptathlon since she captured her third Olympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Her career over the following two years was disrupted by physical ailments, including a hamstring injury that forced her to withdraw from the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. At the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, she abandoned the competition after five events while positioned in eighth place with minimal medal prospects. She also navigated tensions with the Belgian athletics federation during this rehabilitation period. Speaking after the conclusion of the Talence competition, Thiam addressed the mental and physical hurdles of her recovery.

It's been a very difficult two years with a lot of problems. To finally be able to finish a heptathlon and be a heptathlete again, I'm really happy.

Thiam explained that competing in front of spectators and enjoying the atmosphere alongside fellow athletes provided relief after seasons of high pressure.

I've had years with great results but where I wasn't in a good place mentally, I didn't really enjoy what I was doing anymore. So, being here, enjoying myself, and having fun with the other women in front of a great crowd means the world to me.

Decathlon standings and future outlook

The Talence meeting also featured the men's decathlon, where American athlete Hakim McMorris took first place with a winning total of 8,599 points. France's Makenson Gletty finished as runner-up on 8,381 points, establishing his personal best score of the season. Gletty had previously earned a bronze medal in the decathlon at the 2024 European Championships. Thiam, a two-time world champion in 2017 and 2022 alongside her three Olympic titles from 2016, 2021, and 2024, now looks toward the second half of the current Olympic cycle. If she competes at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, she could become the first woman in track and field history to win four consecutive Olympic titles in the same individual event.