Rojas projects himself

After her exceptional 2021 season (Olympic title and world record in Tokyo), the Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas was slightly more "discreet" in 2022, with few competitions.

World champion in Eugene with the 5th performance in history (15.47m), Rojas has been more disappointing in her other outings, despite a successful triple jump at 15.31m in Lausanne two weeks ago.

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Next year she hopes to participate in more long jump competitions: "I am a very ambitious athlete. I like challenges, and this is one for me. I would like to participate in a big long jump championship, with the best jumpers," she said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Fraser-Pryce, one last feat?

Launched on the basis of a historic season, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has experienced two setbacks in the past two weeks.

First by retiring to Lausanne at the last moment because of an overheating alert, then by being beaten for the first time of the year in the 100m in Brussels by her Jamaican friend Shericka Jackson (10.73 against 10.74) .

There remains a 5th title of world champion won in July in Eugene (United States), and six lap times in less than 10 sec 70, an unprecedented sequence, successful at 35, before her last 100m Thursday in Zurich.

Rebound Duplantis

Undisputed boss of pole vaulting, Olympic champion, world champion and European champion, world record holder Armand Duplantis has finally shown himself to be fallible with a first defeat in 2022 in Brussels.

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"I'm human, we make mistakes sometimes, like in Brussels last week. Failure is important. I learned a lot during my career from my main defeats. You have to know how to take the good out of the bad times, understand what didn't work. I can tell you that I'm ready for tomorrow," he said.

Ambitious Lyles

"In everything I do I want to be the best. I want to run fast, faster than anyone. I don't want to break the world record, I want to break it. I want to mark people around the world, we practice a universal sport."

As usual, Noah Lyles was offensive in a press conference, repeating his desire to surpass the 200m record of legend Usain Bolt (19.19 in 2009).

In Zurich, he will once again have the opportunity with quality competitors (Erriyon Knighton, Kenny Bednarek) and a reputedly noisy public in the Letzigrund stadium.

"I can perform anytime but I need the crowd. If you don't make enough noise do you deserve a world record? Show me you want it!" he shouted.

The Blues are back

A year after a total absence, the French are making their return to the Diamond League finals.

Benjamin Robert and Gabriel Tual have a good shot to play in the 800m, an open race, as victory offers an invitation to the next World Championships in Budapest in August 2023, in addition to the trophy and the bonus of 30,000 dollars ( €30,318).

Rénelle Lamote hopes to bring down the 800m time again two weeks after his personal best in Lausanne (1:57.84), while Renaud Lavillenie again faces Armand Duplantis in the pole vault.

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Hurdler Just Kwaou-Mathey, one of the revelations of the season, took advantage of a forfeit to slip into a royal race over 110m hurdles with the Jamaican Olympic champion Hansle Parchment, the American world champion Grant Holloway and the champion of European Spaniard Asier Martinez.

© 2022 AFP