Pierce LePage

Starting track and field at the age of 12 and the decathlon at the age of 17, LePage emerged as a star athlete in 2015 after breaking the Canadian junior decathlon record. LePage then gained funding through the RBC Training Ground talent identification program in 2016.{{cite news|title=Pierce LePage, RBC Olympican|url=http://www.rbc.com/community-sustainability/community/olympic-sponsors/pdf/Pierce-LePage.pdf|website=Royal Bank of Canada|accessdate=2018-04-11}} That same year he attended the Décastar meet, and scored above 8000 points for the first time. In 2017, LePage attended the Hypo-Meeting for the first time, finishing in seventeenth position, and then won the NACAC Combined Events Championships. Domestically, he won the decathlon event at the 2017 Canadian Track and Field Championships, albeit in the absence of then-reigning Olympic bronze medalist Damian Warner.{{cite news|title=Pierce Lepage wins decathlon at Canadian track and field championships|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/trackandfield/pierce-lepage-decathlon-canadian-track-championships-1.4192386|website=CBC Sports|date=6 July 2017|accessdate=2018-04-08}}

LePage was named to the Canadian team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games taking place in Gold Coast, Australia. In his first major championship appearance, he unexpectedly drew major media attention in his home country when teammate Warner, who led the event until midway through the second day, was triple-faulted in the pole vault and withdrew from the event. LePage then became the focus of the country's medal hopes and scored a personal best 8,171 points to win the silver medal behind Lindon Victor of Grenada. After his podium finish, LePage said that "for me, this is a huge stepping stone going from local competitions to a big event like the Commonwealth Games."{{cite news|title=Canada's Warner drops out, LePage wins silver in Commonwealth Games decathlon|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/commonwealthgames/news/damian-warner-commonwealth-games-defence-1.4612376|website=CBC Sports|date=April 10, 2018}} He credited Warner for his support, calling him "someone to talk to, lean on if you need help and at Commonwealth he was helpful — I probably couldn't have a won a silver medal without him there because he's a great leader by example."{{cite news|title=Canadian decathletes Warner, LePage relish chance to compete in Lima|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/pan-am-games-decathlon-warner-lepage-1.5237722|last=Piercy|first=Justin|website=CBC Sports|date=August 6, 2019}} However, the remainder of his season was derailed by UCL and hamstring injuries, the latter sustained in an attempted comeback at the Décastar.

In June of the 2019 season, LePage scored 8453 points to win the Décastar meeting in Talence, France, obtaining the qualifying standard for both the Olympics and World Championships. Named to the Canadian team for the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima alongside Warner, he was second in the standings after the first day of competition, with Warner in first. He dropped to third on the second day, surpassed by Grenada's Victor, and won the bronze medal. LePage noted that he was dealing with a knee injury he had incurred at the national championships earlier.{{cite news|title=Warner defends title, LePage grabs bronze in Pan Am decathlon|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/pan-am-games-decathlon-damian-warner-1.5239369|last=Strong|first=Gregory|website=CBC Sports|date=August 7, 2019}} He then made his World Championship debut at the 2019 edition in Doha, and finished fifth in the decathlon event with a score of 8445. As at the Pan American Games, he was in second place after the first day but ultimately dropped off the podium in the final two events, the javelin throw and the 1500 metres. He admitted afterward to being "a bit frustrated because of so many things that could've gone much better, but it's my first world championships, so what can you do."{{cite news|title=Canada's Damian Warner races to decathlon bronze at track and field worlds|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/warner-lepage-decathlon-world-championships-day-2-1.5307363|website=CBC Sports|date=October 3, 2019}} His high scores across the season lead to his placing third in the seasonal IAAF Combined Events Challenge.

Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were delayed by a full year, and training became difficult with many facilities shut down. LePage noted that he was "training in a random field outside my house for about a year. Just running. I didn't pole vault for a year, didn’t do high jump, long jump."{{cite news|title='I guess I'm good at being second': Meet Pierce LePage, Canada's other Olympic decathlon medal threat|url=https://nationalpost.com/sports/olympics/tokyo-olympics-pierce-lepage-canada-decathlon|last=Barnes|first=Dan|newspaper=National Post|date=July 22, 2021}} LePage was named to his first Olympic team when the time came.{{cite web|url=https://olympic.ca/2021/07/03/team-canada-to-have-57-competitors-in-athletics-at-tokyo-2020/|title=Team Canada to have 57 competitors in athletics at Tokyo 2020|last=Nichols|first=Paula|date=3 July 2021|website=Canadian Olympic Committee|accessdate=3 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/canadian-olympic-athletics-team-july-3-1.6089148|title=57 athletes nominated to Canada's Olympic track & field team|date=3 July 2021|website=CBC Sports|access-date=3 July 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Athletics LEPAGE Pierce|url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1432517-lepage-pierce.htm|url-status=dead|access-date=2021-08-28|work=Tokyo 2020 Olympics|publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|language=en-us|archive-date=2021-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828014016/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/athletics/athlete-profile-n1432517-lepage-pierce.htm}} Prior to the Games he participated in the 2021 Hypo-Meeting and won the silver medal behind Warner, setting new personal bests in the 100 metres, the 110 metres hurdles, and 1500 metres. Competing in Tokyo, LePage was in third place after the first day of the decathlon, though he noted that he was "going through some stuff" that impacted his ability to do the high jump.{{cite news |title=Decathlon leader Damian Warner of Canada has gold within his grasp heading into the second day of competition |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/article-decathlon-leader-damian-warner-has-gold-within-his-grasp-heading-into/ |last=Brady |first=Rachel |work=Globe & Mail |date=August 4, 2021}} A year later he would later reveal that he had been competing through a torn patella tendon, saying "I don't like having excuses. It was an experience I will never forget, and I learned from it." He ultimately finished in fifth place, though he achieved a new personal best mark.{{cite news |last1=Heroux |first1=Devin |title=Canadian decathlete Pierce LePage wins silver at World Athletics Championships |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/world-athletics-championships-decathlon-july-24-day-2-1.6530543 |access-date=25 July 2022 |website=CBC Sports |date=24 July 2022}}

LePage attended the 2022 Hypo-Meeting but only participated in the 100 metres and the long jump before withdrawing.{{cite web|url=https://olympic.ca/2022/05/29/warner-wins-seventh-hypo-meeting-title-in-mens-decathlon/|title=Warner wins seventh Hypo Meeting title in men's decathlon|last=Faria|first=Chris|date=May 29, 2022|website=Canadian Olympic Committee|access-date=July 24, 2022}} At the 2022 World Athletics Championships, LePage finished the first day of the decathlon in second place, after Warner was forced to withdraw because of a hamstring injury.{{cite news |title=Canada's Damian Warner out of world championships after suffering hamstring injury |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/world-athletics-championships-damian-warner-decathlon-day-1-1.6530221 |last=Heroux |first=Devin |work=CBC Sports|date=July 23, 2022|access-date=July 24, 2022}} On the second day, consecutive personal best performances in the hurdles and discus throw briefly elevated him into first place, but he was passed by Frenchman Kevin Mayer after the javelin and won the silver medal with a personal best score of 8701 points. On his podium finish, LePage noted that he had "always been high in the standings and then drop off near the end, and it was so much disappointment. To finally be on top, to stay on the podium is amazing."{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/olympics/article/canadas-pierce-lepage-wins-silver-in-decathlon-at-worlds/|title=Canada's Pierce LePage wins silver in decathlon at worlds|date=July 24, 2022|website=Sportsnet|access-date=24 July 2022}} LePage was initially named to the Canadian team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, but withdrew after the World Championships, with Athletics Canada citing a need "to properly recover and prepare for the rest of the season."{{cite news |title=Four Canadians including De Grasse, LePage withdraw from Commonwealth Games |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/commonwealth-games-de-grasse-lepage-brown-blake-withdraw-1.6532169 |work=CBC Sports|date=July 26, 2022|access-date=July 26, 2022}}

At the 2023 Hypo-Meeting, LePage set new personal bests in both the 100 m and the javelin throw, winning the gold medal in an upset victory over Warner, the seven-time and defending champion. His score of 8700 points was one shy of his personal best.{{cite news |title=Perfect 10? Well, Pierce LePage's javelin throw felt perfect as he beat Olympic decathlon champion Damian Warner at the Hypo Meeting |url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2023/05/29/perfect-10-well-pierce-lepages-javelin-throw-felt-perfect-as-he-beat-olympic-decathlon-champion-damian-warner-at-the-hypo-meeting.html |last=Gillespie |first=Kerry |newspaper=The Toronto Star|date=May 29, 2023|access-date=July 5, 2023}} Competing at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, LePage excelled on the first day of the decathlon, and was in second place at the halfway point of the event, ahead of Warner and behind German Leo Neugebauer.{{cite news |title=Canada's Andre De Grasse 6th in 200m at worlds after skipping 4x100 relay heats |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/trackandfield/world-athletics-championships-budapest-day-6-1.6947434 |website=CBC Sports |date=August 25, 2023 |access-date=August 26, 2023}} LePage began the second day with a new personal best 13.77 in the 110 m hurdles, taking the overall lead from Neugebauer, which he would retain for the remainder of the event, which included his second-best javelin mark ever (60.90 m). He took the gold medal, the first decathlon win for a Canadian man, and stood on the podium with Warner and Victor. His 8909 points were a new personal best, the sixth-highest in history, and the second-best winning margin at a World Athletics Championships after Ashton Eaton's 2015 event record. LePage revealed he had persevered through a couple of "close calls" with injury during the event, and said that "I've done so many decathlons with Damian and we're always supporting each other, so it's nice to share this podium with him."{{cite news |title=LePage turns decathlon silver into world gold in Budapest|url=https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-championships/budapest23/news/report/wch-budapest-23-report-men-decathlon |last=Mulkeen |first=Jon |publisher=World Athletics |date=August 26, 2023 |access-date=August 28, 2023}}

LePage sustained a disc herniation in April of 2024. He was initially projected to be able to recovery in time to participate in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but was ultimately forced to withdraw from the event in late July. He said that he would undergo surgery in advance of the 2025 season.{{cite news|last=Barnes|first=Dan|title=Canadian decathlete Pierce LePage out of Paris Olympics due to back injury|url=https://nationalpost.com/sports/olympics/canadian-decathlete-pierce-lepage-out-of-paris-olympics-due-to-back-injury|newspaper=National Post|date=July 17, 2024|access-date=July 28, 2024}}

{{updated|19 June 2025}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commonscat}}

• [https://www.cbc.ca/sports/damian-warner-leads-decathlon-after-1st-event-pierce-lepage-in-2nd-1.5305662 Damian Warner leads decathlon after 100m, Pierce LePage in 2nd]
• [https://www.cbc.ca/sports/pierce-lepage-leads-decathlon-after-long-jump-1.5305852 Pierce LePage leads decathlon after long jump]
• [https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1613793859854 LePage happy with decathlon finish at track and field worlds]

• {{World Athletics}}
• {{Athletics Canada|pierce-lepage}}
• {{Team Canada|pierce-lepage}}
• {{Olympics.com|pierce-lepage}}
• {{Olympedia}}
• {{2018 Commonwealth Games profile|athletics/athlete-profile-n6030258-pierce-lepage}}

{{Footer World Champions Decathlon}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lepage, Pierce}}

Category:1996 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian decathletes

Category:World Athletics Championships medalists

Category:World Athletics Championships winners

Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Canada

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada

Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in athletics (track and field)

Category:Pan American Games track and field athletes for Canada

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2019 Pan American Games

Category:Medalists at the 2019 Pan American Games

Category:Olympic track and field athletes for Canada

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Category:Sportspeople from Whitby, Ontario

Category:21st-century Canadian sportsmen

Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in athletics