Renaud Lavillenie is back at a monstrous level.
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THIERRY ZOCCOLAN / AFP
Renaud Lavillenie had not passed the 6.06m barrier since 2014, an eternity.
Here he is, ready to challenge Mondo Duplantis at the world championships which will take place in Poland from March 4 to 7.
A second youth at the right time.
Renaud Lavillenie hit very hard just before the European Indoor Athletics Championships (March 4-7 in Torun, Poland) by winning the All Star Perche with a bar at 6.06 m, Saturday in Aubière, a height that 'he hadn't known since 2014.
Armand Duplantis is warned.
The Swedish prodigy (21) will have in front of him a most formidable opponent, returned to his best level.
At 34, Lavillenie is experiencing a second youth and he has proven it by reconnecting with bars that injuries had put out of his reach in recent years.
Lavillenie is reassured
The 2012 Olympic champion however needed reassurance before flying to the Euro.
Author of a fanfare start to the year and a jump over 6 m (6.02 m, on January 31 in Tourcoing), the first since March 2016, Lavillenie remained on two consecutive poor performances, including a disappointing 3rd place at the French indoor Championships.
He left Aubière in high spirits, ready to do battle with Duplantis, who snatched the world record from him in 2020 (6.18 m).
For once, the Frenchman was the only one to have to ensure the spectacle, the Swede and the double world champion Sam Kendricks having defected for this great meeting of pole vaulters, which Lavillenie has been organizing since 2016 on his land.
He certainly found an unexpected rival with the Dutchman Menno Vloon, who smashed his national record (5.96 m) to finish 2nd in the competition, but he quickly eclipsed the rest of the field.
After clearing bars at 5.70 m and 5.86 m on the first try, the Clermontois passed 5.96 m on his 2nd attempt and then 6.06 m on his 3rd.
He then paid the luxury of tackling the world record (6.18 m) but failed at 6.20 m.
A clear message sent to Duplantis before the Euro where he will try to win a 5th continental crown indoors.
"Piss off Mondo"
“I knew that today there was a big thing to play,” said Lavillenie.
It is a huge pleasure and a huge relief.
I wanted to prepare the "Europes" in the best possible way.
With 6.06m just before setting off, it's hard to beat.
It's going to be exciting, it's a competition that has always been successful for me.
I won't be the favorite but the objective will be to piss off Mondo [Duplantis] as much as possible.
I've never been so close to being able to beat him, even though he has a margin in front of me.
"
And here he is, thinking about the world record again.
“I found the potential to get there, whereas I didn't think about it a few months ago,” he explained.
But it is not an end in itself to get it back.
If I can do 6m several times a year, that already puts me in a good position for the European Championships and the big goal of the Olympics this summer.
"
His trainer Philippe d'Encausse is convinced that his foal can find heights even higher than those he is experiencing this winter.
"He made a real jump to 6.06 m with room," said the technician.
Since the start of the year, he has been on very high standards, he no longer has a problem and we have been able to do things that we no longer did in training.
When you put it all together, it gives a nice result.
I think he can jump higher than he has ever jumped in his life.
I'm convinced.
The duel Lavillenie-Duplantis is launched.
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