Who is Ayden Owens-Delerme? All about the decathlete aiming to become first WPIAL student to win an Olympic medal since Kurt Angle

Ayden Owens-Delerme was not someone people were talking about much until the 2024 Paris Olympics, where his performances have made everyone take notice of him. The American-born decathlete from Puerto Rico is now one of the serious contenders for an Olympic podium finish in the men's decathlon.

Owens-Delerme has a personal best of 8732 points, which puts him in serious contention for an Olympic podium finish, and if he betters his record, a possible Olympic gold medal too. The Puerto Rican athlete will be aiming to become the first WPIAL student to win an Olympic medal since the wrestler Kurt Angle.

Before leaving for the Paris Olympics, Owens-Delerme revealed his intentions for the quadrennial edition ahead. A big fan of boxer Muhammad Ali, he said (via via Pittsburgh Union Progress):

"Every time I step on the track, I see it as a boxing match. I'm here to win, and to get the KO (knock-out). There's only one winner. Everybody else loses. I'm here to win."

Compared with the previous performances in the men's decathlon at the Summer Olympics, Owens-Delerme's personal best would be enough to get him a bronze medal.

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Ayden Owens-Delerme's best performances

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ayden Owens-Delerme is now representing Puerto Rico, the birthplace of his maternal grandparents.

Ayden Owens-Delerme in action in the decathlon event at the Mt. SAC relays 2024 - Getty Images

The decathlete from Puerto Rico had humble beginnings at the Junior World Championships held in Tampere, Finland in 2018. He finished last with a meager total of 6744 points amongst the 14 athletes competing in the event. Only 12 athletes could complete the event, including Owens-Delerme.

However, Owens-Delerme learnt a lot from this experience. He slowly rose through the ranks to earn his fame in the sport. In 2022, the Puerto Rican decathlete stood first in the NCAA Championships, earning a total of 8457 points while representing the University of Oregon.

Owens-Delerme missed the podium by a whisker at the IAAF Athletic World Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. However, his total of 8532 points was a new national record for Puerto Rico in this sport. He also won a gold medal for Puerto Rico at the Central American and Carribean Games held in El Salvador the previous year.

This year, Owens-Delerme surprised everyone with a personal best of 8732 points at the Mt. Sac Relays, which also helped him achieve the qualification standard of 8500 points for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Interestingly, his performance was the world lead for a brief period before Leo Neugebauer of Germany took over a few months ago with a staggering 8961 points at the NCAA Championships.

If Owens-Delerme has to win the Olympic gold medal, he needs to get a minimum of 9000 points. The Olympic record for this event is 9018 points, set by Damian Warner of Canada, while the world record is 9126 points, set by Kevin Mayer of France in 2018.