Affected by back pain, Frenchman Kevin Mayer finished in fifth position after the first day of the decathlon events.
For the record holder in the discipline, the chances of winning gold are now very slim, five years after bringing back the silver from the Rio Olympics.
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.
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.
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).
The "frustration" of a champion
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.
"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.
️ "Even if I am not having fun, even if the date of my life is totally ruined, I can promise you that I will give everything"
The "tears of frustration" and the determination of Kevin Mayer, injured back, during # JeuxOlympiquespic.twitter.com / e19pWx0Vpt
- franceinfo (@franceinfo) August 4, 2021
A second, milder day?
The height was more reassuring for Mayer (2.08 m) who then drew on 400 m (50.31).
The French can however still consider stepping on the podium, five years after the money brought back from Rio.
Especially since the second day of the decathlon is traditionally much more favorable to him.
FROM THE GREAT KEVIN MAYER!
The Frenchman passes 2.08 m at the height!
# Tokyo2020 # Olympic
Games Follow the Olympics live ► https://t.co/KhtK42sqKkpic.twitter.com/fMfYL7dO6x
- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 4, 2021
"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. "