Ayden Owens-Delerme
Ayden Owens-Delerme at the 2022 World Athletics Championships | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ayden Owens-Delerme 28 May 2000 Pittsburgh, United States |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (184 cm)[1] |
| Sport | |
| Country | Puerto Rico |
| Sport | Track and field |
Event | Decathlon |
| College team | Arkansas Razorbacks Michigan Wolverines USC Trojans |
| Coached by | Petros Kyprianou |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal bests | Decathlon: 8,784 (2025) NR Heptathlon: 6,518 (2023) NR |
Medal record | |
Ayden Owens-Delerme (born 28 May 2000) is a Stateside Puerto Rican decathlete. He won a silver medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Early life
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Owens-Delerme was first recognised as a multi-sport athlete at statewide athletic powerhouse North Allegheny in suburban Wexford. Michael Owens, Ayden Owens-Delerme's father, captained the 1980 basketball team at the University of Virginia.[2]
High school
Owens-Delerme was the 2018 PIAA state champion in the 110 meters hurdles, 300 meters hurdles, and 200 meters dash. Additionally, he finished second in the long jump. By winning three events and finishing second in another, he single-handedly won the state title for North Allegheny.
Owens-Delerme was a four-time New Balance National All-American, won the 2018 New Balance indoor 60-meter hurdles title with a state-record time of 7.59, and decathlon champion at the 2017 New Balance Nationals Outdoor. These accomplishments made him the 2018 Gatorade Pennsylvania Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Owens-Delerme concluded his prep career ranked in the Top 10 nationally in seven different track events.[3]
NCAA
Owens-Delerme first attended the University of Southern California, where he was named 2019 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. He then transferred to the University of Michigan, where he earned the 2021 Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year Award, before transferring to the University of Arkansas, for whom he won the 2022 NCAA championship decathlon, following which he was named the 2022 SEC Field Athlete of the Year.[4] Owens-Delerme graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 and the University of Arkansas in 2023.[5]
Owens-Delerme finished his collegiate career as a 9-time All-American, 3-time NCAA Champion, 2-time Southeastern Conference Champion, 1-time Big Ten Conference Champion, 1-time Pac-12 Conference Champion, and 17-time All-Conference finalist.[6]
Professional career
Despite being born and raised in Pennsylvania, Owens-Delerme represents the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico on the international stage, as his family on his mother's side are Puerto Rican, and he visited the island yearly in his childhood.[7]
Competing at the 2022 World Athletics Championships decathlon in Eugene, Oregon, Owens-Delerme was placed third overall after the 100 metres, shot put and long jump events and took the lead overnight after a personal best 45.07 in the 400m.[8][9] After subpar second-day performances in the javelin and pole vault, he fell behind eventual champion Kevin Mayer and others, eventually finishing 4th.
He competed in Paris at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the decathlon, finishing in ninth place after winning the decathlon at Mt. SAC Relays and setting a Central American and Caribbean record, scoring 8,732 points.[10]
He finished seventh at the Hypo-Meeting in Götzis on 1 June 2025 with a tally of 8,486 points, setting a meeting record time for the 400 metres.[11] He won the 2025 Décastar decathlon in Talence, France, scoring 8,478 points.[12]
Owens-Delerme won a silver medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, setting a new national record of 8,784 points, becoming the third Puerto Rican after Javier Culson and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn to win a world championship medal.[13][14] He also placed third overall in the season-long World Athletics Combined Events Tour for 2025.[15]
Competition record
Collegiate
International
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representing Puerto Rico | ||||||
| 2025 | World Athletics Championships | Tokyo | 2nd | Decathlon | 8,784 points | |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris | 9th | Decathlon | 8,437 points | |
| 2023 | World Athletics Championships | Budapest | 16th | Decathlon | 6,148 points | |
| Central American and Caribbean Games | San Salvador | 1st | Decathlon | 8,281 points | ||
| 2022 | World Athletics Championships | Eugene | 4th | Decathlon | 8,532 points | |
| 2018 | World Athletics U20 Championships | Tampere | 12th | Decathlon | 6,744 points | |
| 2018 | Puerto Rico U20 Outdoor Championships | Peñuelas | 1st | 200 meters | 21.29 | |
| Representing United States | ||||||
| 2017 | USATF U20 Outdoor Championships[19] | Sac State | 12th | 110m hurdles | 14.19 | |
| 26th | 400m hurdles | 54.99 | ||||
| 2016 | USATF U20 Outdoor Championships | Sac State | 1st | 400m hurdles | 53.13 | |
| 2015 | USATF Junior Olympics[20] | UNF | 3rd | Decathlon | 5,626 points | |
Personal bests
Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.
Outdoor
- As of September 21, 2025
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 meters | 20.88 (+0.0 m/s) | Fayetteville | April 21, 2023 |
| 300 meters | 36.68 | Shippensburg | May 26, 2018 |
| 400 meters | 46.39 | Kortrijk | July 13, 2024 |
| 110 meters hurdles | 13.59 (+1.3 m/s) | Fayetteville | June 23, 2023 |
| 13.57 (+3.8 m/s) | Fayetteville | June 23, 2023 | |
| 400 meters hurdles | 48.26 | Baton Rouge | May 13, 2023 |
| Long jump | 7.09 m (23 ft 3 in) (+0.5 m/s) | Shippensburg | May 25, 2018 |
| Pole vault | 4.97 m (16 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | Champaign | May 2, 2025 |
| Discus throw | 47.42 m (155 ft 6+3⁄4 in) | Champaign | May 2, 2025 |
| Javelin throw | 56.07 m (183 ft 11+1⁄4 in) | Gainesville | April 18, 2025 |
| Event | Performance | Location | Date | Score | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decathlon | N/a | Tokyo | September 20–21, 2025 | 8,784 points | N/a |
| 100 meters | 10.27 (+1.2 m/s) | Walnut | April 13, 2022 | 1,030 points | |
| Long jump | 7.66 m (25 ft 1+1⁄2 in) (+0.2 m/s) | Paris | August 2, 2024 | 975 points | |
| Shot put | 16.26 m (53 ft 4 in) | Walnut | April 17, 2024 | 867 points | |
| High jump | 2.02 m (6 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | Paris | August 2, 2024 | 822 points | |
| 400 meters | 45.07NR | Eugene | July 23, 2022 | 1,056 points | [21] |
| 110 meters hurdles | 13.73 (+0.9 m/s) | Walnut | April 18, 2024 | 1,010 points | |
| Discus throw | 46.25 m (151 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | Eugene | June 9, 2022 | 793 points | |
| Pole vault | 5.10 m (16 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | Walnut | April 18, 2024 | 941 points | |
| Javelin throw | 59.28 m (194 ft 5+3⁄4 in) | Walnut | April 18, 2024 | 727 points | |
| 1500 meters | 4:13.02 | Eugene | July 24, 2022 | 860 points | [22] |
| Virtual Best Performance | 9,081 points | N/a | |||
Indoor
- As of July 14, 2025
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters | 6.89 | Bloomington | January 23, 2021 |
| 60 meters hurdles | 7.71 NR | Albuquerque | February 4, 2023 |
| Long jump | 6.79 m (22 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Seattle | February 22, 2019 |
| High jump | 1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in) | Albuquerque | January 18, 2019 |
| Pole vault | 4.80 m (15 ft 8+3⁄4 in) | Fayetteville | January 14, 2022 |
| Shot put | 14.85 m (48 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | Bloomington | January 23, 2021 |
| Event | Performance | Location | Date | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heptathlon | N/a | Albuquerque | March 10–11, 2023 | 6,518 points |
| 60 meters | 6.75 | Birmingham | March 8, 2019 | 973 points |
| Long jump | 7.82 m (25 ft 7+3⁄4 in) | Albuquerque | March 10, 2023 | 1,015 points |
| Shot put | 15.27 m (50 ft 1 in) | Albuquerque | March 10, 2023 | 806 points |
| High jump | 2.04 m (6 ft 8+1⁄4 in) | Fayetteville | January 28, 2022 | 840 points |
| 60 meters hurdles | 7.73 | Albuquerque | March 11, 2023 | 1,056 points |
| Pole vault | 4.96 m (16 ft 3+1⁄4 in) | Albuquerque | March 11, 2023 | 898 points |
| 1000 meters | 2:31.55 | Albuquerque | March 11, 2023 | 970 points |
| Virtual Best Performance | 6,553 points | |||
References
- ^ "OWENS-DELERME Ayden | Paris 2024". olympics.com. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Ayden Owens Arkansas Razorbacks bio University of Arkansas
- ^ Ayden Owens-Delerme Track & Field Bio 2018 Outdoor Season North Allegheny HS athletic.net
- ^ "Amazing year for North Allegheny grad Ayden Owens-Delerme continues at World Championships". Tribhssn.triblive.com. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ Episode 155: Ayden Owens-Delerme May 3, 2022 – Ayden Owens-Delerme may be the best athlete on campus at the University of Arkansas. And it's something he's been training for his entire life. Owens-Delerme developed a love for multiple sports as a kid, and had dreams of playing for his home state Pittsburgh Steelers. But Owens-Delerme found a different outlet for his competitive nature... on the track AND in the field. His hard work paid off, and he's now the collegiate record holder in the decathlon. But along with his success came a difficult choice: Who to represent on the international stage... the United States, or his family's homeland of Puerto Rico. The decision has paid off for Owens-Delerme, who has lofty Olympic aspirations. And after stops at USC and Michigan, he's found a home at Arkansas, a place that knows a thing or two about producing Olympians. Hog Pod with Bo Mattingly
- ^ Ayden Owens NCAA Results TFRRS
- ^ "Razorback Ayden-Owens Delerme prepares for World Athletics Championships". Kark.com. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ Phillips, Mitch (24 July 2022). "Warner's decathlon quest ends, Owens-Delerme takes overall lead". Reuters.com. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Ayden Owens marcha tercero en el decatlón, tras completarse las primeras tres pruebas en el Mundial". Elnuevodia.com. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
- ^ "Men's Decathlon es Results - Paris Olympic Games 2024 Athletics". Watch Athletics. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ^ "ANNA HALL'S FOUR PRS RESULT IN NO. 2 ALL-TIME HEPTATHLON SCORE AT 50TH HYPO-MEETING AT GOTZIS". Runnerspace. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
- ^ "Owens-Delerme wins decathlon, Araujo retains heptathlon title in Talence". World Athletics. 6 July 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
- ^ "World Athletics Championships 2025: Leo Neugebauer wins decathlon gold by only 20 points". Olympics.com. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ "Neugebauer's second-day surge earns decathlon gold". Reuters. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
- ^ "Hall and Skotheim win World Athletics Combined Events Tour". World Athletics. 10 October 2025. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
- ^ "NCAA Decathlon a stepping stone for the World Championships in July". TrackTown USA. 10 June 2022.
- ^ 2019 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships results FlashResults.com
- ^ Why I transferred from USC to Michigan We Play Track
- ^ 2017 USATF Junior Outdoor Championships (Day 2) results athletic.net
- ^ 2015 USATF Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships athletic.net
- ^ Men's Decathlon - World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022. 15 June 2023. Event occurs at 19:32 – via YouTube.
- ^ Harlan, Chris (25 July 2022). "Former North Allegheny decathlete Ayden Owens-Delerme finishes 4th at World Championships". triblive.com.