The women’s Olympic heptathlon contains seven events.
The first day consists of the 100-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, and 200 metres. The second day consists of the long jump, javelin throw, and 800 metres. Competitors receive points according to their performances, and the athlete with the highest total wins. Unlike a tournament, the competition does not require an athlete to win any individual event.
The heptathlon replaced the women’s pentathlon in the Olympic programme in 1984. Its seven disciplines test sprinting, hurdling, jumping, throwing, and middle-distance endurance. The event is usually held over two consecutive days, with recovery between disciplines managed carefully by athletes and coaches. Its scoring system uses separate formulas for track events, jumps, and throws, reflecting the different ways performances are measured. The men’s traditional Olympic combined event is the decathlon, which has ten disciplines rather than seven.