AUSTIN, Texas — Standing 6 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, you would think Leo Neugebauer is the latest weapon for Steve Sarkisian's Texas Football program.
Instead, he puts his body through one of the most treacherous events in track & field: the decathlon.
"In Europe, in general, when you start with track, you start doing everything," Neugebauer said. "Over the years, there's more events coming to you. Then, at some point, 'I'm just good at everything, so I'm a decathlete.'"
The thing is, Neugebauer's not just good – he's great. At the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships a year ago, he broke the collegiate and German national record for the decathlon. Now this year, in Eugene, Oregon, he hopes to break his own mark.
As he practices, a gold necklace with a pendant shaped like the continent of Africa can be seen around his neck. Neugebauer's known as "Leo the German," so what's the correlation?
"I don't want to forget about my other side," Neugebauer said. "My mom's from Germany, my dad is from Africa ... So he's from Cameroon. So this necklace is kind of to represent my other half."
You would think a world-class athlete who's training for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games would eat, sleep and breathe track. However, Neugebauer has a different escape and passion.
With more than 300,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, Neugebauer enjoys making content on an everyday basis. So much so that he shoots and edits his own material. Whether it's from his recent track meet or an "outfit of the day," Neugebauer wants to provide a peak into his life for his fans.
"Social media was always like a passion, just to grow something on your own," Neugebauer said. "I would say taking photos is like, a hobby of mine. Being on the PC, being creative, it's a passion of mine."
The growth has been rapid for Neugebauer. Since last February, he has grown more than 200,000 followers on Instagram alone.
Between track and social media, Neugebauer is booked and busy. But he's excited after booking a trip to Paris.
"Being able to show what you can do, what you've been working on in practice ... Just having a good time in front of family so I can make them proud," Neugebauer said.