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Tual and Pontvianne frustrated, Mayer well launched
Gabriel Tual took sixth place in the 800m final, after battling for a medal until entering the home stretch. Jean-Marc Pontvianne, eighth in the triple jump, is also among the finalists of these world championships. Kevin Mayer is still in contention for the decathlon title, after a first day with twists and turns.
The performance
Tual was almost there
Outstanding tactician, Gabriel Tual once again let his racing science speak to give himself a chance to believe in his dreams on Saturday. Unfortunately, his legs betrayed him at the start of the home straight, when he was in the right place at the right time. ” Until 720 m I’m in the game, but after that, it’s a tumble, it kept passing me by, when I was fully. It’s infuriating “, he railed as he left the track at Hayward Field. In a final game at a high pace (52” at the bell), Tual had good feelings until then, “ not bothered by the sequence of turns “, but admitted having been under the pressure of the event. ” It’s hard to be both focused and relaxed when you play your life “, he put back.
Seventh in the Olympic final last summer in Japan, the US Talence Agenais gained a rank in Oregon, finishing sixth in 1’45”49 in a race won by the Kenyan Emmanuel Korir in 1’43”71. Not really enough to give him a taste of success, when he was openly aiming for a charm. ” I’ve had enough experience now. What I want is medals, even if it’s not that easy “, he thundered in response to journalists who wanted him to see life on the bright side. Lucid, the pupil of Bernard Mossant nevertheless found some reasons for comfort, aware that his regularity in major championships would eventually pay off. ” Don’t tell yourself that it’s all over. There are European championships in three weeks, and other championships that will happen, starting with Budapest in 2023. It will go on for a few years. “With what he has been showing for two years, the way to the box should open up one day or another.
The declared
“I will work morning, noon and evening”
Eighth in the triple jump final with 16.86m, as in London in 2017, Jean-Marc Pontvianne has, alas, collected the bitten essays (five in total). ” It’s too much to hope for better than an eighth place, and it’s a reflection of my season “, he summed up bitterly. Injured during the season, the Nîmes could not repeat the jumps in training and therefore lacked benchmarks in his run-up to fully express himself. Which left regrets for the protege of Sébastien Bouschet and Teddy Tamgho, who was going over the thread of the story. ” I need to see the pictures again, but I think my bitten tries prove that there was something nice to do today “, he thought, while the podium was played at 17.31 m. Victory went to the untouchable Portuguese Paul Pichardo, who killed the contest on his first attempt, measured at 17.95 m. Before leaving, Pontvianne promised that he was going to take advantage of the weeks separating him from the European championships in Munich to work on his regularity and his automatisms, even repeating twice that it would keep him busy “ morning noon and evening ».
The promise
Mayer can aim for gold
As often when he engages in a decathlon, Kevin Mayer had a hectic first day this Saturday in Oregon. The world record holder, who feels fit but has only been able to count on two months of preparation at full volume, felt ” in the fog during the morning session. ” This influences more or less certain tests “, he explained later, after completing his 400m in the satisfying time of 49”40. This did not prevent him from signing a good 10”62 over 100m and a successful height contest with 2.05m, when he was particularly afraid of this event because of pain in his Achilles tendon which enamelled its spring. But his weight contest, completed with 14.98m, showed the difficulties he had to juggle.
On the evening of the first day, Mayer camped in sixth position, with 4372 points. If the mid-term classification is dominated by the astonishing Puerto Rican Ayden Owens-Delerme with 4606 points, the Montpellier player knows he can count on an unparalleled second day to catch up. And if the abandonment of Damian Warnerhis main rival mowed down by a thigh injury in the middle of the 400m, disappointed him on the friendly level, he knows only too well that it ” opens a boulevard to get the title “. Confident but cautious, he nevertheless expects his young rivals to give him a hard time until the end.
The highlight
The 4x4s in a rush
In the space of twenty minutes, the two 4x400m relays managed to reach the final of their specialty with panache and enthusiasm. The ladies showed the way by taking third place in their series in 3’28”89, even granting themselves a ticket instead, following the disqualification of the Dutch, who hampered Sounkamba Sylla picking up their fallen witness. ” It will unblock us, because we were all a little stressed. Our passages were rather correct and Sunday, we will be even more in legs », appreciated Amandine Brossierthe leader and finisher of the collective.
The men jumped on the bandwagon, and canceled their ticket by qualifying on time, thanks to a time of 3’03”13, which ranked them fourth in their race. ” We have the eighth time of the finalists, but the job is done. We will now try to grab one, two or three places », advanced Thomas Jordierwho undertook to launch the relay on the right foundations, while Simon Boypawhich replaced Ludovic Ouceni
(victim of hamstring discomfort during warm-up) at short notice, played his role perfectly despite a ” adrenaline rush ».
The men’s 4x100m sprinters tried to maintain this momentum and ride the wave of their successful series, but Richard Cursaz’s men took a little too much risk in the final and were unable to pass the baton in time at the first hinge between Meba-Michael Zeze et Paul Matthew.
Baptized will see the semis
Laeticia Baptized managed his introduction well in the 100m hurdles on Saturday morning. The Martinican hurdler finished fourth in her race in 13”03, thus making an appointment for the next round. ” Already very happy from her experience in Eugene, she made it her mission to ” give everything and stop fishing at the end of the race in the semi-finals, in an attempt to lower his personal best. It is, however, over for Cyrene Samba-Wisdomwhich is ” picked up too quickly “when put into action and spent his entire race at” trying to create speed instead of [s’]to push on [son] departure “. Fifth in her series in 13”15, the world indoor champion from Belgrade saw her competition end prematurely.
Etienne Nappey for athle.fr
Photos : S. Kempinaire – JM Hervio / KMSP / FFA
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