France's Kevin Mayer Wins Second World Decathlon Gold

Kevin Mayer won the French medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Photo Steph Chambers / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
Kevin Mayer won the French medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Photo Steph Chambers / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
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France's Kevin Mayer Wins Second World Decathlon Gold

Kevin Mayer won the French medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Photo Steph Chambers / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
Kevin Mayer won the French medal at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Photo Steph Chambers / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

France's Kevin Mayer won his second world decathlon gold on Sunday, benefiting from the withdrawal through injury of Olympic champion Damian Warner.

Mayer accrued 8,816 points after 10 disciplines over two days to follow up on previous world gold in 2017 in London, The Associated Press said.

Canada's Pierce Lepage claimed silver with 8,701pts while American Zach Ziemek took bronze (8,676).

The first day of action on Saturday saw Mayer register 10.62sec in the 100m, 7.54m in the long jump, 14.98m in the shot put, 2.05 in the high jump and 49.40 in the 400m, the one-lap tester that saw Olympic champ Warner of Canada crash out injured.

Sunday saw the French world record holder clock 13.92sec in the 110m hurdles, manage 49.44m in the discus throw, clear 5.40m in the pole vault and nail 70.31m in the javelin throw to give himself 8,145pts going into the 1,500m.

Mayer safely negotiated the final event, overtaking Lepage on the stretch to book himself a second world gold



Argentina Not Overly Reliant on Messi, Says Scaloni 

Argentina's Lionel Messi stands on the bench prior to a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP)
Argentina's Lionel Messi stands on the bench prior to a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP)
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Argentina Not Overly Reliant on Messi, Says Scaloni 

Argentina's Lionel Messi stands on the bench prior to a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP)
Argentina's Lionel Messi stands on the bench prior to a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Chile in Santiago, Chile, Thursday, June 5, 2025. (AP)

Argentina have learned to cope with Lionel Messi's absences and no longer need to rejig the line-up when the Inter Miami forward is not available, manager Lionel Scaloni said ahead of Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Colombia.

Since making his senior debut in 2005, Messi has scored 112 goals in 192 appearances for Argentina, winning the World Cup in 2022, two Copa America titles and a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The 37-year-old captain missed Argentina's 1-0 win over Uruguay and 4-1 thrashing of rivals Brazil in March due to injury, with Scaloni's side securing their place at the 2026 World Cup during that international break.

He returned to the squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers and made a substitute appearance in Argentina's 1-0 win over Chile last week.

"The team is now in a moment where it can play in the same way with Leo (Messi) or without Leo, which used to be more complex in the past as we had to change some players," Scaloni told reporters ahead of the match in Buenos Aires.

"But now we don't have this necessity and the team works in the same way, that's good."

While Argentina have already qualified for the World Cup in North America, Colombia are in the sixth and final automatic qualification spot and will be looking to put some distance between themselves and seventh-placed Venezuela with a win.

Colombia beat Argentina 2-1 when the sides last met in the World Cup qualifiers in September.

"It's a great team, and with great players, and it has a clear style that can put you in trouble," Scaloni said.

"We've analyzed it, we've shown the players their strengths and what we want to take advantage of. It's going to be a nice game, especially because we play at home, so it's good for our people to see the players."