Editing Heptathlon (section)

{{Short description|Track and field competition with 7 events}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox athletics event
|event= Heptathlon
|image=Heptathlon 200823 Budapest 2023.jpg|Heptathlon_200823_Budapest_2023.jpg
|caption=[[2023 World Athletics Championships]] day 2 heptathlon finalists
|WRmen= {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ashton Eaton]] 6645 pts (2012)
|WRwomen= {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jackie Joyner-Kersee]] 7291 pts (1988)
|ORwomen= {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jackie Joyner-Kersee]] 7291 pts (1988)
|CRwomen= {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jackie Joyner-Kersee]] 7128 pts (1987)
|ICRmen= {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ashton Eaton]] 6645 pts (2012)
}}
A '''heptathlon''' is a [[track and field]] combined events contest made up of seven events.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heptathlon |title=Heptathlon – Definition|publisher=Merriam-webster.com |date=2012-08-31 |access-date=2013-08-18}}</ref> The name derives from the Greek ἑπτά (hepta, meaning "seven") and ἄθλος (áthlos, or ἄθλον, áthlon, meaning "competition"). A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.

There are two heptathlons – the men's and the women's heptathlon – composed of different events. The men's heptathlon is older and is currently held indoors, contested at the [[IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics]]. The women's heptathlon is held outdoors and was introduced in the 1980s, first appearing in the [[Olympics]] in [[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Women's heptathlon|1984]]. It is currently contested in the [[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|athletics programme]] of the Olympics and at the [[World Athletics Championships]].