It was subsequently above a parking zone, the place the College of San Diego stadium is situated, that Kevin Mayer as soon as once more put the brakes on his Olympic purpose, within the indifference of a small college assembly sunny. Affected within the “adductor main on the appropriate aspect” based on his personal prognosis, the 32-year-old Frenchman known as it quits through the excessive soar, the fourth of ten decathlon occasions.
Qualification for the Video games (8,460 factors) ought to solely be a formality for the world report holder within the self-discipline (9,126 in 2018). However after his retirement on the World Championships in Budapest final summer time, Mayer has not accomplished a decathlon since his world title in Eugene (Oregon, United States) in July 2022, and should completely validate the minimums earlier than June 30. It’s going to in the end not be in San Diego, the place the double Olympic vice-champion was as soon as once more let down by his physique. “He had extra to lose than to achieve. He’ll heal rapidly and begin a brand new decathlon,” assured the boss of the French group Romain Barras, justifying Mayer’s warning.
After a primary alert within the morning within the left knee through the warm-up for the size, it was lastly discomfort within the adductor main on the appropriate aspect contracted after his arrival in the US on March 5 which prevented him from passing a bar as much as par. Mayer, bandaged on his proper thigh, after two unsteady runs, and a gathering with these round him, most well-liked to say cease. Regardless of this “fatigue contracture” which he hopes to go away “in ten days”, the Frenchman maintains whole confidence for the Paris Video games. “I’m not apprehensive about qualifying. It is the decathlon, we’re all screwed up (injured) (…) I’ve change into my very own coach, my very own bodily coach, I am a little bit of my very own psychological coach too, I’ve to be taught to be extra lenient with myself,” he defined to the few French media current on web site, with a rapidly regained smile. “I can fully see myself in a full Stade de France on D-Day, don’t fear. (Qualification) is the smallest of my issues. The day I shall be on the observe on the Stade de France, I can let you know that it is going to be an enormous pleasure.”
In San Diego, in an virtually abandoned stadium for a college assembly with a shaky group, which is the attraction of athletics, the double world champion within the decathlon had appropriately attacked his day over 100 m in 10 sec 75, his “finest comeback”. He then skilled a primary alert through the warm-up for the size, with a slight twist in his left knee as a result of lack of spikes situated underneath his shoe. Pissed off by his mark of seven.07 m, he confirmed himself good within the shot put, reaching 16.10 m (based on the official mark, regardless of the choose’s announcement of 16.12 m heard by everybody the viewers) with a liberating cry, for his finest throw in three years.
“I do know that I’ve had the Video games in thoughts for 2 years, and that on the day of the Video games, my legs shall be on hearth. I can’t ask my mind to do the identical for minimums,” he wished to reassure as soon as once more. After giving up on a decathlon in Australia in December and abandoning in San Diego, the chief of French athletics ought to go and get his Olympic ticket in Europe within the spring. Mayer has change into accustomed to Olympic {qualifications} pressed for time as in 2012 (obtained at first of July a month earlier than the Olympics after three withdrawals) and in 2016 (obtained on the finish of Might).