Paris (AFP)

In pain: Christophe Lemaitre (200 m) and Rénelle Lamote (800 m) have apparently opened the doors of the Doha Worlds (September 27 - October 6) even if they were struggling in their respective races, Saturday during the Diamond League meeting in Paris.

Victims of physical glitches this season, the two French had not yet validated their ticket to Qatar before the rendezvous in Paris, unlike the other headliners of tricolor athletics, and played very big in what was their ultimate opportunity to earn the minima for the World Championships.

While neither Lemaitre nor Lamote have managed to achieve the "required level of performance" by the French Federation, they have however complied with the criteria set by the International Federation (IAAF), which should theoretically allow them to be of the part in a month and a half.

Back in July at the competition after a warning left hamstrings in the spring, Lemaitre was struggling so far to regain its best level and had not done better this year that 20 sec 46 in Sotteville-les-Rouen July 16, far from the FFA (20 sec 35) and IAAF (20 sec 40) minima. 6th place at the French Championships on July 28 had even sounded like a serious warning for the French record holder (19 sec 80) and Olympic bronze medalist (2016).

- "Contrasted feeling" -

On the blue track Charléty stadium, the sprinter of Aix-les-Bains (29 years) remained at a respectable distance from the new nugget US Noah Lyles (22 years), easy winner in 19 sec 65, the record of the meeting , but his time of 20 sec 40, exactly the limit set by the IAAF, should give him the right to appear in the tricolor selection that will be disclosed on August 27, he who missed the Euro-2018 injury.

"It's a mixed feeling," said Lemaitre, already assured of a place in the 4x100m relay in Doha, I feel good and better than during my last outings.This is starting to increase in power. It's a bit late, I'm a little disappointed not to have made the minima requested by the French Federation, now we have to see what the Federation will decide, it was my only big outing of the season and it missed this season, I run after time. "

Lamote also provided the essential despite a very delicate race won by the American Hanna Green (1: 58.39) and a poor 8th place (2: 00.40). But in the absence of the "NPR" of the FFA ((2: 00.20), the 25-year-old Frenchwoman managed to run faster than the minima of the IAAF (2: 00.60) and therefore has very good chances to do it. also part of the list of happy elected for the Worlds.

- Relief -

Lamote, who did not return to competition until the French Championships at the end of July after a preparation truncated by injuries (hip, tendon of Achilles), gave everything and was really stripped to get his sesame, until to be evacuated on stretcher.

"In the final stretch, I saw the minuses go, I really gave everything I had, I thought I was not going to finish the race," she explained. I did not know my exact time when I ended up with the doctors, luckily I did the minima because finishing in this state and not doing them would have been horrible. I did not suffer for anything. "

Lamote, finally "quiet" and "liberated", can now project on Doha. A real relief for the vice-champion of Europe, who dreams of podium in Qatar in the absence of hyperandrogenic athletes, banned by the new rules of the IAAF, including the double Olympic champion Caster Semenya.

© 2019 AFP