RIO DE JANEIRO—Ashton Eaton retained his title as the best all-around athlete in the world by tying the decathlon Olympic record in Rio de Janeiro — but within minutes, track and field’s ultimate superstar took back the center stage again.
What more could the now two-time Olympic champion Eaton do Thursday night to get just a little sliver of the limelight that beams so brightly on Usain Bolt?
Not much. But the ever-gracious Eaton is OK with that.
“I had the pleasure of being in the same era as Usain Bolt,” Eaton said. “I mean, the guy’s last name is Bolt. He’s the fastest man ever. You can’t write a story like that.”
You can try.
For his own impressive tale, the American made it back-to-back Olympic and world titles in the decathlon, an event Eaton has ruled since he rebounded from silver at the worlds in 2011 to claim the next four major gold medals available. From throwing, to jumping, to running, Eaton can do it all.
