The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are still a long way off for Renaud Lavillenie. The French pole vaulter, former world record holder (6.16 m in 2014), returned this Wednesday at the Clermont-Ferrand meeting. And he was far from brilliant.
The 2012 London Olympics gold medalist in the pole vault attempted three times to clear the 5.35m bar, his first. He failed every time. On his first two attempts, he fell on the crossbar and did not fully execute the jump on the third.
Olympic minimums seem far away
The 37-year-old Frenchman is still searching for the Olympic minimum, having jumped for the first time in ten months. He had hamstring surgery last December. To qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris, he must clear 5.82 meters by June 30. A result he has not achieved since July 2022.
However, he told AFP in April that he felt “in great shape.” He also detailed his journey since hamstring surgery: “I have been able to resume running since Christmas after three long months of not being able to do many things. “He now has just over a month left to qualify for the Paris Games.
Source: Le Parisien
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