heptathlon

From hepta- +‎ -athlon.

• IPA^(key): /hɛpˈtæθlɒn/

• Audio (Southern England):

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heptathlon (plural heptathlons or heptathla)

1. (athletics) An athletic contest comprising seven events; contested mostly by women, for whom this is an Olympic sport.
   • 2008 January 26, Frank Litsky, “Swedish Star Finds Motivation in Variety”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     [Carolina Kluft] has won her last 19 heptathlons. Only the legendary Jackie Joyner-Kersee has scored higher.

   • 2021 July 6, Shauna Farnell, “An Olympic Hurdle: Why Is the Decathlon Only for Men?”, in The New York Times‎^[2]:

     For now, Gray and her peers are able to compete for Olympic berths only in the seven-event heptathlon, while the decathlon is restricted to men.

• heptathlete

heptathlon m (invariable)

1. (athletics) alternative spelling of eptathlon