Tokyo (AFP)
Bad news is piling up for the French.
The star of the Blues Kevin Mayer, diminished by back pain, started his decathlon very badly, already compromising his chances of gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo on Wednesday.
The day was much better on the other hand for others with the third world record of these Olympics, beaten by the American Sydney McLaughlin in the final of the 400 m hurdles (51 sec 46), and the coronation of Andre De Grasse on 200 m (19 sec 62), which succeeds sprint legend Usain Bolt on the winners' list.
In the aftermath of a black day, the France team hoped to make up for it thanks to the world record holder (9126 points).
But it is on the contrary a new cold shower that the Habs have experienced, still without a podium in athletics since the start of the Olympics.
A huge favorite, Kevin Mayer has already made a point: unless Canadian leader Damian Warner fails to do so, he will not leave Japan with a first Olympic title.
Canadian Andre De Grasse gold medal in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics, August 4, 2021 Andrej ISAKOVIC AFP
Touched on the back for ten days, the 2017 world champion has already conceded a delay that seems irremediable, pointing halfway in 5th position (4,340 points), far from his usual standards and Warner, firmly established in the lead ( 4.722 points).
- "Frustration" -
Enough to wake up the specter of his last two failures and abandonments in major championships (Euro-2018 after a zero to the length, World-2019 on injury) and still lead a little more the French clan, which relied heavily on its head of poster to hide somewhat a very disturbing overall level.
Nothing worked for the Frenchman (29 years old), in tears after the first three events contested in the morning (10 sec 68 over 100 m, 7.50 m in length, 15.07 m in weight) and who confessed his "frustration" at not being able to fight on an equal footing with the rest of the competition.
Kevin Mayer at the finish of the 400m decathlon of the Tokyo Olympics, August 4, 2021 Jewel SAMAD AFP
"I do decathlon because I like the sensations, today I do not have one in one of the biggest meetings of my life. I have pain but I will live with it, I am at the Olympic Games, I have no choice, "he said, annoyed.
The height was more reassuring for Mayer (2.08 m) who then drew on 400 m (50.31).
The French can however still consider getting on the podium, five after the money brought back from Rio.
Especially since the second day of the decathlon is traditionally much more favorable to him.
"We worked to relax the back with massage and I shot my card with anti-inflammatories, which allowed me to free myself on the height," said Mayer after the first five tests.
"I had no more pain then but unfortunately the competition lasted too long and I had a calf cramp on the 400 m. So the points that I regained at the height, I lose them on the 400 m . Anything is possible, everyone knows I have a big second day. "
- The Bigot disappointment -
Another disappointment occurred at the hammer where the vice-world champion Quentin Bigot took only 5th place (79.39 m) in a competition won by the Polish Wojciech Nowicki (82.52 m).
As for Gabriel Tual, he logically did not weigh heavily on the 800 m (7th in 1 min 46 sec 03), a race dominated by the Kenyan Emmanuel Korir (1 min 45 sec 06).
The French Quentin Bigot during the hammer final at the Tokyo Olympics, August 4, 2021 Ben STANSALL AFP
The only small breakthrough occurred over 110 m hurdles with the qualifications for the final of European champion Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (13 sec 25) and Aurel Manga, who equaled his personal best in 13 sec 24.
The two French have a good card to play in the final on Thursday, in the absence of Olympic title holder Omar McLeod, 2015 world champion Sergei Shubenkov and Spaniard Orlando Ortega.
The victory, on the other hand, seems promised to the American Grant Holloway, world gold medalist in 2019 and holder of the second best performance of all time (12 sec 81), one hundredth of the world record of his compatriot Aries Merritt.
© 2021 AFP