It was to be a full-scale rehearsal.
A final trial run before plunging into the adventure of the Olympic Games.
But the high-flying competition that Renaud Lavillenie was about to compete in, notably against the Americans Sam Kendricks, double world champion, and KC Lightfoot, Sunday afternoon in Sotteville-lès-Rouen (Seine-Maritime), almost turned to the drama for the French.
Clearly not the ideal scenario for my last competition before the Olympics.
Injured to the left ankle following a poor reception on the mat.
I leave the clinic with an “encouraging” verdict: no fracture, a big sprain 🙌🏼.
The countdown is on 👊🏼 pic.twitter.com/M9J9gFu5X8
- Renaud LAVILLENIE (@airlavillenie) July 11, 2021
After an aborted jump during the warm-up, the pole vaulter landed badly, on the side of the landing mat.
A moment of inattention and his ankle gave way.
Moments later, he left the track carried by rescuers and headed for a nearby hospital to do a battery of examinations and assess the severity of the injury.
According to the first results, his entourage seemed rather confident.
The 2012 Olympic champion would only suffer from a sprain.
He confirmed it himself in the afternoon on his social networks.
“Clearly not the ideal scenario for my last competition before the Olympics,” he writes.
Injured to the left ankle following a poor reception on the mat.
I leave the clinic with an "encouraging" verdict: no fracture, a big sprain.
"
Race against time
This injury would not therefore call into question his participation in the Tokyo Games, the opening ceremony of which is scheduled in less than two weeks (23 July-8 August).
Fortunately for the Frenchman, the qualifications for the pole vault competition will not begin until July 31.
Nevertheless, Renaud Lavillenie will now launch a real race against time to arrive in the best conditions in Japan.
The 34-year-old former world record holder is also one of the main chances for a French medal in athletics at the Olympic Games.
After several seasons marred by injuries, the Clermontois had finally regained heights of more than six meters this winter (6.06 m) before being hit in the calf and forfeiting the European Indoor Championships in Torun.
After a six-week break, he got off to a good start to the summer season as he is currently the 2nd best performer of the year (5.92m) behind the untouchable Swede Armand Duplantis (6.10m), holder of the world record (6.18 m) and favorite of the Games.