Advantage for eager decathlete getting early starts (4)
I believe the answer is:
edge
'advantage' is the definition.
(having the edge is having an advantage)
'eager decathlete getting early starts' is the wordplay.
'starts' suggests taking the first letters.
The first letters of 'eager decathlete getting early' is 'EDGE'.
'for' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for edge that I've seen before include "Perimeter" , "Advantage (informal)" , "Rim, lip" , "Border; intense quality" , "Demarcation" .)