Roman Šebrle

Roman Šebrle
Šebrle in 2009
Personal information
Nationality Czech Republic
Born (1974-11-26) 26 November 1974
Height186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight88 kg (194 lb)
Sport
CountryCzech Republic
SportTrack and field
Event(s)
Decathlon, heptathlon
ClubDukla Prague
Retired2013
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)Decathlon: 9,026 points (2001)
Heptathlon: 6,438 points (2004)
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 1 0
World Championships 1 2 0
World Indoor Championships 2 0 3
European Championships 2 0 0
European Indoor Championships 3 1 2
Total 9 4 5
Men's athletics
Olympic Games
2004 Athens Decathlon
2000 Sydney Decathlon
World Championships
2007 Osaka Decathlon
2003 Paris Decathlon
2005 Helsinki Decathlon
World Indoor Championships
2001 Lisbon Heptathlon
2004 Budapest Heptathlon
1999 Maebashi Heptathlon
2003 Birmingham Heptathlon
2006 Moscow Heptathlon
European Championships
2002 Munich Decathlon
2006 Gothenburg Decathlon
European Indoor Championships
2002 Vienna Heptathlon
2005 Madrid Heptathlon
2007 Birmingham Heptathlon
2000 Ghent Heptathlon
2009 Torino Heptathlon
2011 Paris Heptathlon
Universiade
1997 Catania Decathlon

Roman Šebrle (Czech pronunciation: [ˈroman ˈʃɛbr̩lɛ]; born 26 November 1974) is a Czech retired decathlete. He is considered to be one of the best decathlon athletes of all time. Originally a high jumper, he later switched to the combined events and is a former world record holder in the decathlon, holding the record for over eleven years. In 2001 in Götzis he became the first decathlete ever to achieve over 9,000 points, setting the record at 9,026 points, succeeding his compatriot, Tomáš Dvořák, who had scored 8,994 points two years earlier.

After placing second in the decathlon during the 2000 Summer Olympics, Šebrle won the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Tradition dictates the winner of the decathlon holds the title of "World's Greatest Athlete".

A panel of experts convened by the Wall Street Journal in 2008 also ranked Šebrle as the world's greatest athlete. That very same year, Šebrle finished 6th in the decathlon in the Beijing Olympics.