Tokyo (AFP)
It was hot !
Reduced and on the verge of elimination at the start of the competition, Renaud Lavillenie managed to find the resources to pass 5.75 m and qualify for the pole vault final of the Tokyo Games on Saturday.
In the same vein, the 2017 world champion in the 800m Pierre-Ambroise Bosse went through a hollow in the playoffs, unlike Mélina Robert-Michon, Olympic vice-champion in the discus throw, eliminated in qualifying. for his sixth Olympic Games at 42.
Lavillenie avoided the worst ... The leader of the Blues and double Olympic medalist almost lost everything on Saturday after two failures at 5.50 m.
Grimacing from an injury to his left ankle, bandaged on Saturday, he managed to pass this bar on the 3rd try before crossing 5.65m (on the 2nd try) and securing his place in the final at 5.75m (1st test).
Renaud Lavillenie arrived in Japan diminished by a sprained left ankle, which occurred on July 11 in Sotteville-Lès-Rouen, for his last meeting before the Olympics, at the worst time.
But the 2012 Olympic champion and ex-world record holder did well to give it a go.
Often prostrate at the start of the competition, throwing black glances at his coach Philippe d'Encausse between two loosening of the ankle, he came out of it and can still dream at 34 of winning a third consecutive Olympic medal after gold in London in 2012 and Rio money in 2016.
On the other hand, it will be without his brother Valentin Lavillenie (5.65 m) and his training partner Ethan Cormont (5.50 m), eliminated.
On a thread also, the 2017 world champion of the 800m Pierre-Ambroise Bosse snatched the last qualifying place for the semi-finals of the 800m for a hundredth of a second.
Bosse, who has run very little this season due to injury, led his streak most of the race before being easily overwhelmed in the home stretch, finishing 6th and barely in 1 min 45 sec 97. He will find Gabriel Tual in the semis on Sunday, but not Benjamin Robert, eliminated.
Laura Valette, diminished and last in her series, and Cyréna Samba-Mayéla, last minute forfeit due to a warm-up injury, will not see the semi-finals of the 100 m hurdles.
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