The Lavillenie brothers ended their pole vault competition at the French Championships in tears.
Valentin fell backwards and burst into tears on the track of Miramas (Bouches-du-Rhône), under the influence of the emotion of his first title of champion of France (5.77 m), at 29 years old.
Renaud, the eldest, shed tears of rage, frustrated at having failed three times at 5.82 m.
The Clermontois had yet made a thunderous start to the season, flying beyond 6 m (6.02 m), at the end of January in Tourcoing, a height that he had not known since March 2016. In recent weeks were a little more difficult to manage for the 34-year-old pole vaulter, who had notably failed to cross a bar in Val-de-Reuil on February 14.
In Miramas, Renaud crossed 5.66 m, before skipping 5.72 m then 5.77 m and failing three times at 5.82 m, depriving himself of a 9th championship title. France indoors.
“It's frustrating, plague the 2012 Olympic champion. I should have taken bigger poles, which I haven't taken for five years.
This is the complexity of the pole.
I'm too fit for the poles I had today.
“It is true that the Clermontois had not made such a good start to the season, with several competitions over 5.90 m.
“The goal is to be strong in Torun (the European Championships, from March 5 to 7),” says Renaud Lavillenie.
Renaud Lavillenie cracks after his third place in the pole vault competition.
With only one successful jump at 5.66 meters, it is a great disappointment for the Clermontois who does not retain his title of champion of France # CFAthlé
➡️ The live: https://t.co/PODV7XsEIa pic.twitter.com/tg7fhackqh
- France tv sport (@francetvsport) February 21, 2021
His little brother, Valentin, who had often had to settle for silver medals, can, for his part, savor his first title.
“It's a first title and I am very, very happy.
I am proud of myself because I win by responding to the fight.
I disconnected the brain and put the balls down, he sums up.
It's a real title, everyone was there and I won.
Point.
I think this win can really unlock things, maybe this is the part that I've been missing for a long time.
"The two brothers are coached by Philippe D'Encausse in Clermont-Ferrand, just like the revelation of this winter, Ethan Cormont, 20, who was placed between the two brothers on the second step of the podium (5.72 m ).