For the second day of the French athletics championships, Wilhem Belocian warmed up the fresh air at the Mikulak stadium in Angers, with the best European performance of the season over 110 m hurdles. The Guadeloupean confirms that he is part of the world gratin. Mélina Robert-Michon continues to write her legend with a 35th national champion title.
“I think I can go down to around 13”00″. Wilhem Belocian only ran “in” 13.15 in the wind and freshness of Anjou on Saturday over 110 meters hurdles during the second day of the French athletics championships. A brilliant time, a personal record which places him 4th best performer in the world of the season and best in Europe. Already European indoor champion in Poland this winter, the Guadeloupe continues his ascent to the heights.
“A personal best in a final is really the perfect combo. I still have some under my belt, we are focused on the Olympics. Fourth world performance, that’s for sure that places me and it’s a big pressure”. And the French hurdles are doing very well, since the vice-champion of France Aurel Manga also beats his personal best and will accompany Wilhem Belocian.
Pascal Martinot-Lagarde should be in Japan as well, if his physique leaves him in peace. Dimitri Bascou, bronze in Rio in 2016, failed in his race for the Olympic minima for Tokyo. This is the case of another former star of the Blues, Floria Gueï, vice-champion of France in the 400 meters but not in the nails of the minima. It could still grab a place thanks to the ranking.
13 years later, Dagée erases the French weight record
The Niçois Frédéric Dagée brought back from Angers a 7th title of champion of France and especially the record of France after which he had been chasing for years. With 20.75 meters, he erases the shelves Yves Niaré, who had launched the weight to 20.72 m in 2008. “It has finally paid off … for all these years when I do more than 20 meters. It represents a plateau. additional towards the big championships, because the world level has really increased “. Dagee remains well away from the minimum (21.10 meters), but some like Maryse Ewanjé-Epée, RMC Sport consultant, pleads for her selection for the Olympic Games this summer.
35th French champion title for Robert-Michon
Mélina Robert-Michon is inexhaustible. At 42, the Iséroise is preparing to fly to the Olympic Games for the sixth time, and she extended her record streak of 34 national titles. With a throw of 60.88 meters, she is champion of France for the 35th time. It is now two more than Lucienne Vélu, the multi-disciplinary champion of the 20s and 30s.
Despite everything, this is not the time for self-congratulation: “A title is always good, but I would have liked a better performance after last week. It was the last competition before Tokyo, we will postpone until then a good dose of work “. Mélina Robert-Michon aspires to gold. And for that, she will probably have to go beyond her personal best, 66.73 meters achieved in the final of the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
Zero points for the sprint, the second knives lack sharpness
Gone are the days when Jimmy Vicaut reigned over Europe in the 100 meters and Christophe Lemaitre impressed the whole world … Nobody achieved the minimums over the queen distance, this Saturday at the Mikulak stadium in Angers. Among women, Orlann Ombissa-Dzangué certainly won her first French champion title, but almost two-tenths of the level of performance required for the Tokyo Games.
Same scenario for men. In the absence of Jimmy Vicaut, diminished by muscle discomfort but qualified for Japan (minimum succeeded in 2019), Mouhamadou Fall won in 10 “29, the 211th time worldwide in 2021 … The average level is so far from the Olympic gratin that France could not even field a relay. Response on July 2, with the official selection of the French Athletics Federation.
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