Just over a month and a half from the Worlds in Oregon, the Montreuil Meeting this Thursday, June 2 will be to be scrutinized with attention with the presence of certain athletic references such as the queen of the middle distance Genzebe Dibaba or even American triple jumper Christian Taylor and his Portuguese counterpart Pedro Pichardo. A cast of choice which promises a very great show on the Habs side also with Renelle Lamote, Pierre-Ambroise Bosse, Hugo Hay, Jimmy Vicaut or even Mélina Robert-Michon who all have Eugene’s minima in mind. Presentation of the announced highlights of the competition.
In just under a decade, the Meeting de Montreuil has established itself as one of the major unmissable events in international athletics. For its 13th edition, several big stars of planetary and hexagonal athletics will meet this Thursday, June 2 on a competition which presents a rich program of 14 events. « We won the World Athletics Silver label this year, it is a satisfaction and a fair reward for all the stakeholders of the Meeting, rejoices Samir Benfarès, President of CA Montreuil 93 and former French international in the middle distance. Our wish is to pass Gold quickly ». First good surprise: the presence of Genzebe Dibaba. « It was she who asked to come to Montreuil to make her comeback, it was not us who went to get her ». At 10:00 p.m., spectators will have eyes only for the 31-year-old Ethiopian, the world record holder for the 1500m outdoors, as well as the world indoor records for the mile, 3000m and 5000m. In 2018, on the Ile-de-France tartan, she had decided to tackle the world record for the 2000m, a non-Olympic and little contested distance. The native of Bekoji, a cult place of Ethiopian athletics, had won the race in 5’27″73, but more than two seconds from the planetary mark (5’25″36 by the Irishwoman Sonia O’Sullivan in 1994). This year, Genzebe Dibaba should ensure the show as always and will surely be keen to appropriate the best time of the year over 5000 m (14’12″98 by the Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye).
The French demi-fondeurs at the rendezvous
The middle distance, quality mark of the meeting, promises a lot. It’s a very extensive tricolor delegation that will be on the track tomorrow evening. ” Cach year, there is a strong desire to include tricolor athletes in each race and competition ». In the men’s 5000m, Hugo Hay will push the door of the Stade Jean Delbert with desire for victory. The athlete from Deux-Sèvres, who has been living in Belgium since 2018, would see himself fulfilling the minimums for Eugene as soon as he returns, provided he runs in 13’09″00 or less. Will this time be the right one? After a good comeback over 800 m at Birmingham in 1’59″53 on May 21, Renelle Lamote will have the required level of performance (1’59″30) in the sights. The resident of Racing Multi Athlon will have to take advantage of the presence of the Cuban Rose Mary Almanza, who has already achieved 1’58″60 this year, to carry out his mission. ” Rénelle has prepared specifically for Montreuil and she comes to us to set a time, and for us it is a source of pride “. In 2021, the triple European vice-champion gave us the most moving moment of the Meeting de Montreuil by punching her ticket for the Tokyo Olympics after a magnificent race (1’58″65). Agnès Raharolahy, Léna Kandissounon et Meriem Sahnoun will have a good adversity to lower their time.
Among men, discovering the start-list, the 800m has absolutely nothing to envy to the plateau of the biggest international meetings. After a first victorious outing in the Final Interclubs in Grenoble in 1’48″21, Pierre Ambroisse Bosse holds a golden opportunity to really launch its summer season. Density will not be lacking in this test. The London world champion will face the Tokyo Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir (record in 1’42″05), as well as Benjamin Robert who wants to get rid once and for all of the minima (1’44″70) for the planetary rendezvous. Over the upper distance of the 1500m, the three French athletes selected for the 2020 Olympics Baptiste Mischler, Azeddine Habz et Alexis Miellet are going to fight to panic the stopwatch (minimum at 3’34″00). Perked up by his 8’16″67 over 3000 m steeplechase, Mehdi Belhadj will test his speed against Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad which will make its big comeback. Race also noted on paper among women with the‘German Konstanze Klosterhalfenbronze medalist at the 2019 Doha Worlds. She is for me one of the greatest runners in Europe at the moment who is also back in Montreuil. ». Berenice Fulchiron, Katia Delarche, Charlotte Mouchet et Johanna Geyer-Carles will therefore have a luxury locomotive to try to beat their reference time.
Jimmy Vicaut expected on the straight
Accustomed to the Ile-de-France meeting, Jimmy Vicaut dreams of once again registering his name on the list of winners in the 100m with the avowed objective of going below 10″03, synonymous with the minimum for the Worlds in Eugene. In 2016, the 30-year-old sprinter who trains in Padua (Italy), under the guidance of Marco Airale, had equaled his own European record in the 100m in 9″86 (since beaten by Marcell Jacobs in 9″80). The record holder of France will rub shoulders in particular with the Ivorian Arthur Cisse, Mickaël Zeze and the revelation of the 2021 French sprint Jeff Erius, junior European vice-champion. On the lap, amandine brossier et Sokhna Lacoste will fight for places of honor against the American Wadeline JonathanTokyo Olympic champion in the 4×400 m, and the Cuban Roxana Gomezindividual finalist in Japan. Aurel Manga will have to expect an explosive final with the American Daniel Robertsthe Jamaican Damion Thomas or even the British Andrew Pozzi over 110 m hurdles. The howlers Laura Valette, Solenn Compper, Awa Sene et Lea Vendome will come to challenge the American Tonea Marshallwho has a record in 12″44. Also to follow: the battle over 400m hurdles between Wilfried Happio, Ludvy Vaillant et Muhammad Kounta who will have to follow in the footsteps of the Turkish Yasmani Copellosixth in the memorable Olympic final last summer.
Gblond arms to do between Taylor and Pichardo
The men’s triple jump will undoubtedly be one of the events to follow. Winner of the competition in 2019, Christian Taylor (18.21 m) is back in Montreuil. His record is a veritable book of athletics: Two-time Olympic champion in the triple jump (2012 and 2016), and cfour-time triple jump world champion (2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019). With Taylor (18.06m) and the Portuguese Paul Pichardo (18.08 m), who will show his status as reigning Olympic champion in front of the public, the confrontation can lead far into the sandbox. The French Melvin Raffinsecond in 2021 with 17.19m, and Benjamin Compaore will have to struggle to “exist”. Always on the side of the competitions, cela could also go high, very high to female height with the Bulgarian Mirela DemirevaOlympic vice-champion in Rio in 2016, who has already peaked at 2.00 m. Laureen Maxwell, Solene Gicquel et Laura Salin-Eyike will also gain momentum under the eyes of an audience of connoisseurs. On the discus throwing area, Melina Robert-Michon2016 Olympic vice-champion will be opposed to the Cuban Yaime PerezDoha World Champion in 2019. « We want to see the athletes, the volunteers and the public leaving the stadium with a smile, I would be happy, it means that we have done the job “says Samir Benfarès, whose passion for athletics has been unwavering for years.. I take advantage of your lines to thank Loïc Giowachini, the founder of the Meeting and the general manager of CA Montreuil 93, the whole organizing team and all our volunteers. They carry out permanent and long-term work to bring together a field of this level and for the event to be a great celebration of athletics. 30 volunteers take a day off to be available to the club for a week. Je would like to thank our private partners and our institutional partners, such as the city of Montreuil, who made available to us its municipal services, with a nod to Olivier Charles, and the Department of Seine-Saint-Denis. Finally, II would like to thank the French Athletics Federation and more particularly André Giraud and Souad Rochdi who allowed us to join the Crédit Mutuel Athlé Tour circuit and will allow the athletes to earn points in the ranking. The weather conditions are looking ideal for the moment. Admission is free and reservations are required.
Enjoy ladies and gentlemen!
Information and tickets on www.meetingmontreuil.com.
Photo credit: Antoine Decottignies / STADION
–
