From our special correspondent in Tokyo,

He had not wanted to use it this morning, thinking that "it would pass", even on the weight, the test which requires the most dorsal anchorage, subjected to regular spasms since his arrival in Japan.

But Kevin Mayer may “hate” taking anti-inflammatory drugs, but he ended up saying yes.

“We worked to relax the back with a big massage, and then I knocked down this card that I hardly ever knock down.

At one point, after the weight, I am so devastated by the pain… At the last throw I saw the stars, I told myself that I was not going to be able to continue like that.

It was that or I stopped.

The advantage is like I never take it over others, it has a thunderous effect ”.

Boosted for height ...

Indeed, the Mayer who showed up for the high jump in the evening no longer had much to do with his trailing shadow in the morning.

The Olympic vice-champion of Rio sends the sauce twice on the last try, even beating his best career jump (2m08).

"I was able to free myself at the height as I had not freed myself for a very long time."

Decathlon:


The classification after the first day


Kevin Mayer 🇫🇷 is 5th with 4340 pts # Athletics # Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/7W5XtwiS9K

- MR.CARTER ⭐️⭐️ (@NelsonCarterJr) August 4, 2021

Except that the competition lasts a long time, since you have to leave the track for the sprint and middle distance events very regularly, and a calf cramp wakes up at the worst time.

Just before the start of the 800m which concludes the first day, already not a cup of tea for Mayer at the base.

"I felt the cramp from the start, so I did not dare to leave quickly and it shows on the clock".

50'31, more than two seconds from his record.

The correct operation is immediately deleted.

"The points that I gain at the height, I lose them really on the 400".

… Cramped in the 400m

As a result, Mayer finds himself far from the score, in fifth place in a ranking largely dominated by Warner, who was rightly imagined as his most dangerous rival.

The reasons for hope, since there are any?

The lasting effects of anti-inflammatory drugs - "I won't have pain until Thursday evening, I hope" - and the profile of Mayer, used to building his decathlons on the second day.

"Everything is possible, everyone knows that I have a very big second day, wants to believe the world champion 2017. Now, I have to manage to optimize my events as I managed to optimize the height".

We leave on Thursday with the 110m hurdles.

Two o'clock in the morning at Rodez, you get up if you want.

Sport

Olympic Games 2021 - Kayak: How is a sprint?

Maxime Beaumont dissects each phase of a particularly violent effort

Sport

Olympic Games 2021 - Athletics: The speed of the track, the magic peaks… Why do the records fall one after the other?

  • Athletics

  • Kevin mayer

  • Olympic Games

  • Tokyo Olympics 2021

  • Japan

  • Sport