Doha (AFP)

Club blow on the Blues: ultra favorite, the defending champion and world record holder Kevin Mayer had to give up, with tears in his eyes, the decathlon of the Doha World Championships (Qatar), Thursday, another disappointment for the Frenchman after his failure Euro-2018.

The king of the combined events is decidedly cursed in the big leagues. He who overflows the discipline and entered the legend of athletics with this historic total of 9,126 points, passed on September 16, 2018 in Talence, seemed nevertheless invincible. But one year after the zero point at the length that had cost him the European title in Berlin, this time his body betrayed him.

Struck to the right knee and left Achilles tendon, Mayer dropped out during the pole-vault while leading the decathlon.

After twice trying to gain momentum for a test at 4.60m, banal at its usual level, Mayer collapsed her head first in the pole rug.

Romain Barras, deputy director of the high level at the French federation and former European champion of decathlon, and the clan of Mayer then dropped their head of spite, at the edge of the track.

Where Kevin Mayer usually flies away, far above his competitors in a discipline he loves, he is this time on the ground, a few tears in his eyes, before leaving bag on the back.

- Ideal position -

The abandonment of Mayer marks a heavy relapse for the Blues in the aftermath of a great day (silver Quentin Bigot hammer, bronze Pascal Martinot-Lagarde on the 100 m hurdles).

The big blond (1.86m) was their leader, the one who was to bring the expected gold medal, win the title for the second time in a row and confirm his untouchable status, obtained when he crushed the world record in Talence in September 2018 (9,126 points).

But even asking for the support of the Khalifa stadium's meager audience and fans wearing orange t-shirts, Mayer was unable to overcome the pain.

He started the second day of the decathlon, his favorite, in an ideal position: he was 3rd behind the Canadians Damian Warner and Pierce Lepage, ready to catch up on events that are favorable to him.

But since Wednesday, the beautiful mechanic of Montpellier (27 years) had stopped: he had twisted pain, holding his right knee, during the high jump (1.99 m).

Thursday, he was strapped on the left ankle: "Because of the height he + charged + his left side in the 400 m (48.99 Wednesday night), explains his brother Thomas.He gets hurt typing a obstacle in the 110m hurdles (13.87). "

With the right knee, but also the left Achilles tendon in bulk, the defending champion ensures a throw to the disc (48.34 m), allowing him to take the lead.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel, you will find it", shouts his physical trainer, Jerome Simian. A few minutes later, on the other side of the stadium for the pole, the light went out.

© 2019 AFP