This was the disaster scenario to absolutely avoid. And it happened in San Diego: Kevin Mayer retired due to injury. Hit in the thigh, he gave up a third attempt in the high jump, the fourth event of his Californian decathlon. A big blow for the double world champion in the discipline who is still not qualified for the Paris Olympic Games. The time trial to achieve the minimums is underway.
On the evening of June 30, the end of the qualifying period for the 2024 Olympics, Kevin Mayer will no longer have any escape. At the start of spring, there are still “plans B,C,D,E,F” as his coach Alexandre Bonacorsi announced two days before the start of the competition. Because Mayer rhymes with crystal in recent months. He has not completed a single decathlon since his world title in July 2022 in Eugene.
At 32, Mayer’s body seems more fragile than ever
He had already given up on a decathlon in Brisbane last December because of a hip problem, after having abandoned the world championships in Budapest the previous summer. Ter repeated unhappy, the Montpellier threw in the towel at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. A strain in the thigh that appeared during the warm-up for the long jump prevented him from doing better than 7.07m. If in the shot put, Mayer rectified the situation with a good throw at 16.10m, it was impossible for him to engage in the high jump.
Two missed attempts at only 1.89m, we heard him moan: “Fuck***, I can’t engage”. With his staff, and in particular the high performance director of the French Athletics Federation Romain Barras, who came for the occasion, Kevin Mayer decided to try one last try at 1.92m. But quickly, he gave up and left the competition. A gigantic disillusionment for Mayer, who said he was in full possession of his means, and doubts about his ability to qualify for the Paris Olympics will grow. The minimums, set at 8460 points, are supposed to be a formality and the Frenchman repeats it himself over and over again. But he can no longer complete ten events without breaking down physically. At 32, the decathlete’s body seems more fragile than ever.
Until June 30 to qualify
The qualification period extends until June 30, the evening of the last day of the French championships which will take place in Angers. Kevin Mayer prepared to go for the minimums in Anjou if necessary. For the only medal that has obsessed him for years: gold at the Stade de France next August. The double Olympic vice-champion has won everything in his career, except this ultimate title. And the stress will seriously increase. There are obviously several opportunities left before the national championships, for example the famous Götzis decathlon in Austria on May 18 and 19. Others are also labeled World Athletics, such as that of Brescia in Italy, Ratlingen in Germany or Arona in Spain between the end of April and the end of May. But we must hope that Kevin Mayer’s injury to his right thigh is not too serious so as not to leave him on the floor for too long. His coach, Alexandre Bonacorsi had warned, “we will not take a big risk in San Diego”. He didn’t lie.