Tom Pappas facts for kids
 Tom Pappas |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  United States |
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| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2003 Paris | Decathlon |
| World Indoor Championships | ||
| Gold | 2003 Birmingham | Heptathlon |
Tom Pappas (born September 6, 1976) is an American decathlete. A decathlete is a special athlete who competes in ten different track and field events. Tom Pappas is famous for winning a gold medal at the World Championships. He was also ranked as the best decathlete in the world in 2003.
Contents
Early Life and College
Tom Pappas was born in Azalea, Oregon. He went to Glendale High School and finished in 1994. After high school, he attended the University of Tennessee. He graduated from the university in 1999.
A Champion Athlete
Tom Pappas was a very successful athlete. He won the U.S. championship four times. These wins were in 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2006. In 1999, he became the NCAA champion while at the University of Tennessee. The NCAA stands for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It organizes sports for college students.
Before joining the University of Tennessee, Tom also competed for the Lane Titans track and field team. This was part of the Northwest Athletic Conference.
World and Olympic Achievements
Tom Pappas won a gold medal at the World Championships in Paris, France. This was a huge achievement! Because of this win, Track & Field News magazine rated him as the number one decathlete in the world that year.
His best score in the decathlon was 8,784 points. He achieved this score when he won the 2003 U.S. Championships. This event took place at Stanford University.
In 2003, Tom Pappas received the Jesse Owens Award from USATF. This award is given to the best athlete of the year. Jesse Owens was a famous Olympic athlete.
Tom also competed in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. He finished in fifth place in the decathlon. He tried to compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. However, he had to stop because of an injury to his foot.
Life After Competing
After his career as a professional athlete, Tom Pappas became a business owner. He is now a co-owner of Lane 5 Crossfit. This is a fitness gym located in Eugene, Oregon.
Major Achievements
| Tournament | Location | Result | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Seville, Spain | Did Not Finish | Decathlon |
| 2000 | Sydney, Australia | 5th | Decathlon |
| 2001 | Brisbane, Australia | 3rd | Decathlon |
| 2003 | Birmingham, England | 1st | Heptathlon |
| Paris, France | 1st | Decathlon | |
| 2004 | Götzis, Austria | 2nd | Decathlon |
| Athens, Greece | Did Not Finish | Decathlon | |
| 2008 | Beijing, PR China | Did Not Finish | Decathlon |
Personal Best Scores
These are Tom Pappas's best scores in each of the decathlon events:
| Event | Best Score | Location | Date | Points Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decathlon | 8,784 points | Palo Alto | June 22, 2003 | 8,784 points |
| 100 meters | 10.65 seconds | Götzis | June 6, 2003 | 940 points |
| Long jump | 7.96 meters | Palo Alto | June 21, 2003 | 1,050 points |
| Shot put | 17.26 meters | Eugene | June 29, 2008 | 929 points |
| High jump | 2.21 meters | Götzis | September 27, 2000 | 1,002 points |
| 400 meters | 47.58 seconds | Paris Saint-Denis | August 26, 2003 | 930 points |
| 110 meters hurdles | 13.90 seconds | Götzis | August 6, 1997 | 987 points |
| Discus throw | 52.18 meters | El Paso | January 1, 2003 | 916 points |
| Pole vault | 5.20 meters | Götzis | May 30, 2004 | 972 points |
| Javelin throw | 66.56 meters | Sarasota | June 9, 2000 | 837 points |
| 1500 meters | 4 minutes, 35.14 seconds | January 1, 1995 | 711 points | |
| Virtual Best Performance | 9,274 points | |||
See also
In Spanish: Tom Pappas para niños
