A competitor on the podium dismissed for Renaud Lavillenie.
Reigning pole vault world champion Sam Kendricks has tested positive for Covid-19.
The American is therefore forfeited for the competition, of which he was one of the favorites with Armand Duplantis and Renaud Lavillenie.
“The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority.
We are sad to confirm that Sam Kendricks has tested positive for Covid-19 and will not be competing in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, ”the United States Olympic and Paralympic Team announced on Twitter.
(1/3) The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority.
We are saddened to confirm that Sam Kendricks tested positive for COVID-19 and will not compete in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
- USOPC News (@USOPC_News) July 29, 2021
The second best performer of the year (5.92m like Renaud Lavillenie) has been placed in solitary confinement and will watch his pole vault competitors on television, 5 years after his bronze medal in Rio.
“Sam is an incredible and accomplished member of Team USA and his presence will be missed,” lamented the USOPC.
Duplantis in long shadow favorite
An announcement that theoretically makes the happiness of Renaud Lavillenie, who sees a strong competitor remove without even jumping.
"So sad for Sam," lamented, full of fair play, the Olympic champion in London in 2012. The French had beaten him to Rio in 2016 by climbing to second place on the podium in Rio behind the surprising Brazilian Thiago Braz da Silva.
So sad for Sam 😢
- Renaud LAVILLENIE (@airlavillenie) July 29, 2021
Kendricks' forfeit further simplifies the pole vault outcome.
Except big surprise, if Renaud Lavillenie does not manage to upset Armand Duplantis, the world record holder (6.18 m) should experience his first Olympic coronation.
Response from Saturday for the start of qualifying, and Tuesday for the final from 12 noon.
