The decathlete from Montpellier starts his competition next night in a country he adores and sometimes hates a little.
Kevin Mayer, on track next night in the deca thlon, has a special connection with the United States. A lover of basketball, the NBA and the Bolton Celtics, the Montpellier player appreciates life across the Atlantic and is sometimes upset by the turn taken by certain states in the Union. His own America is San Francisco, New York or Miami… Far from the realities of a country often fractured everywhere else. Between two training sessions, he plunged back into his travel diaries. Follow the leader.
Her first time
“It was in Santa Barbara, in the suburbs of Los Angeles, during an internship, in 2014, before the European Championships in Zurich. I then discovered a whole system, university in particular. To be honest, I didn’t know any of that. I was drawn in right away. The atmosphere was amazing. It was huge on every level. Since childhood, Americans have been educated in the desire to shine at through sport. With us, it’s limited if you’re not criticized when you’re good at sport at school.”
His view of the country
“I love him very much, deeply. Unfortunately, we find all the extremes here. I love Americans for many things but I also hate them for many reasons. When you are in San Francisco, New York or Miami, a I can’t put it into words. There’s something about these cities, they’re very advanced in many areas and I love going there. Unfortunately, that doesn’t represent what the United States is like overall, the reality of this country. When you see the last vote of the Supreme Court questioning abortion or the recent shootings… Some places are advanced, others totally backward. It’s strange that sometimes there are so many differences between states.
His favorite city
“New York, without discussion. I’ve been there three times. For fun. New York is special.”
Chinese portrait
If Kevin Mayer was… His trainer Alexandre Bonacorsi answered the question.
An animal ? A monkey, because he’s smart.
A movie ? The Lord of the Rings.
A song ? That of the London Olympic Games by Muse.
An athlete ? Kyrie Irving, a basketball enthusiast.
A job ? Astrophysicist, there is no debate.
Celebrity ? Copernicus, of course.
A beverage ? Tea.
a plate? Pizza.
A book ? Harry Potter.
A color ? The green of ecology.
A dessert ? Profiteroles.
Motto ? Work seriously without taking yourself seriously.
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Could he have trained in the USA?
“When you win a silver medal at the Games, become world champion and break the world record, there are bound to be touches. Ahston Eaton’s coach (Editor’s note: world record holder decathlon before Kevin Mayer), Harry Marra, contacted me one day. He wanted me to join his group. If I had wanted to, I would have had no problems moving abroad.”
Why didn’t you leave?
“I’m in Montpellier. I have ties. I can’t leave like that, on a whim. Overnight. There are my family, my friends, things that matter, important to me. When I Weigh the pros and cons, I can’t draw a line under what I have here.”
Nike, its main partner
“I am under contract until 2024. Before arriving in Eugene, we went through Portland, to the company’s headquarters. I was able to visit all that and in particular the famous athletics track built on site. My contract? We should start to enter into negotiations in 2023. Not before.”
Eugene, the Worlds
“I had never been to Eugene. It’s one of the most beautiful athletic stadiums in the world, for sure. The performances are numerous and the atmosphere always quite crazy. When I see how I react in these conditions, I’m really looking forward to it.”
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