Neugebauer leads Ratingen decathlon in sweltering heat, sets shot put record

Decathlon world champion Leo Neugebauer is on track for victory at the Ratingen meeting in Germany, despite facing sweltering heat. Competing in temperatures around 36 degrees Celsius (97 Fahrenheit), Neugebauer posted a solid, though not outstanding, first day of competition.

He leads the event with 4,482 points after the first five disciplines. This is slightly behind his pace from Götzis four weeks prior, where he had 4,632 points at the halfway mark. However, Neugebauer set a meeting record in the shot put, throwing 16.95 meters, and was the top performer in the long jump with a leap of 7.67 meters.

When asked about his evening plans, Neugebauer humorously replied, "Into the ice bath." He explained his recovery strategy between events, involving "rubbing with ice, wearing all sorts of ice vests." His closest competitor is France's Makenson Gletty with 4,380 points, while co-favorite Sander Skotheim of Norway withdrew from the competition.

In the women's heptathlon, world leader Annik Kälin of Switzerland is also in the lead with 3,974 points after the first day. She is on pace to break her own Swiss record of 6,726 points. The German trio of Vanessa Grimm, Sandrina Sprengel, and Anna-Elisabeth Ehlers are in third to fifth place. The Ratingen meeting is a crucial warm-up for many athletes preparing for the European Championships in Birmingham in August.