Best Heptathlon Athletes of All Time
Who are the greatest heptathlon athletes of all time? Explore the leading athletes in Sport Ranking’s historical Athletics ranking, based on results from major international competitions across different eras.
Greatest Women’s Heptathlon Athletes
Combined Women
| # | Athlete | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | United States | 162 |
| 2 | Nafissatou Thiam | Belgium | 152 |
| 3 | Carolina Klüft | Sweden | 123 |
| 4 | Jessica Ennis | Great Britain | 113 |
| 5 | Sabine Braun | Germany | 110 |
| 6 | Katarina Johnson-Thompson | Great Britain | 82 |
| 7 | Nataliya Dobrynska | Ukraine | 71 |
| 8 | Jane Frederick | United States | 69 |
| 9 | Irina Belova | Russia | 66 |
| 10 | Denise Lewis | Great Britain | 64 |
How the All-Time Ranking Works
The ranking is based on global and continental championships, which are weighted according to their importance on the international stage. The system also includes the Diamond League and its historical predecessors.
Team events are valued at three times the points of individual disciplines to increase their importance in national rankings, but they are not included in individual rankings. The World Athletics Awards do not count towards the discipline rankings, only towards the overall athletics ranking.
The achievement and holding of a world record are also rewarded, representing a significant performance milestone. Holding the world record on short distances has only been awarded points since the time of automatic timing.
Learn more about Athletics scoring →