Lavillenie (35) and Collet (23) topped out at 5.75m, a bar they both passed on the last try, but the 2012 Olympic champion and 2016 Olympic runner-up had only passed 5, 60m only on his third attempt.

What does he remember from the Normandy competition?

"I'm glad it's over, cowardly Lavillenie, author like Collet of the minimums for Eugene (5.80 m) earlier in the season. The wind was our worst enemy. We had to fight, we were all in trouble, many of us have taken mental leaps. The results are not that bad in this context.

Since his first title of French outdoor champion in 2010, this is only the third time that the 35-year-old Clermontois has not climbed to the top step of the national podium (after 2011 and 2021).

Renaud Lavillenie crosses a bar at the French Athletics Championships in Caen, June 26, 2022 Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

"A few centimeters to fetch"

"I have a mixed feeling: at the same time, I am happy to have done 5.75 m in these conditions, because I could see myself going home with nothing at all and it was clearly not the objective of the day. Afterwards, there is necessarily a little bitterness to be second with the same performance '", he believes.

"I was so in difficulty that there are still positives: it's a good sign in relation to my form, I clearly have centimeters to look for when it's going to be put in place", adds Lavillenie , who will jump one last time before Eugene, in Stockholm in the Diamond League on Thursday.

In the meantime, it is Collet who has the best French performance of the season, with 5.82 m, one centimeter ahead of Lavillenie.

These heights make them the seventh and eighth best performers in the world for the year.

Only two have reached at least six meters: the Swede Armand Duplantis and the American Chris Nielsen, respectively Olympic gold and silver medalists in Tokyo last summer.

Young Thibaut Collet crowned French pole vault champion in Caen, June 26, 2022 Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

Collet, already crowned French indoor champion this winter, is preparing to participate in his first World Championships and first European Senior Championships (in Munich from August 15 to 21) this summer.

"I don't feel any worse than the others and I think I belong there, explains the pole vaulter from Grenoble. The goal is to get into the final and be competitive there."

Beware of Covid

Valentin Lavillenie, Renaud's younger brother, was evacuated on a stretcher after cutting his leg on a jump.

As the American Worlds approach, the threat of Covid-19 has reminded us from Caen that it continues to hover.

Tested positive, the indoor world champion in the 60m hurdles Cyréna Samba-Mayela had to forfeit the 100m hurdles on Sunday.

Alexandra Tavernier, titled in the hammer throw on Friday, has also since announced that she is infected.

And Mélina Robert-Michon, who remained under 59 meters on the disc on Sunday, very far from the minimum for Eugene set at 63.50 m, is barely recovering from a recent infection.

Cyréna Samba-Mayela during the World Athletics Championships in Belgrade, March 20, 2022 ANDREJ ISAKOVIC AFP / Archives

After the first try, "I had no more energy at all. The fatigue is still there, but I didn't want the Covid to prevent me from launching and keeping this title. There is only my two daughters who had the right", smiles the pitcher in her forties.

Will she be traveling to Eugene?

"It's no longer in my hands. It will depend on the choice of the (French Athletics) Federation. If they only want to take people who have done the minimums, I know it's dead. If they want to go a little beyond, I tick almost all the boxes”, she summarizes.

The announcement of the French selection is expected on Wednesday afternoon.

© 2022 AFP