Hammer thrower Quentin Bigot held his rank (4th) without succeeding in getting on the podium at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene (Oregon) on Saturday, where the Norwegian Karsten Warholm reassured about his state of form.
Reigning world vice-champion, 5th in the last Olympic Games and 4th best performer in the world in 2022, Quentin Bigot represented one of the surest chances of medals for the French team in Eugene.
Under gray clouds, Bigot managed the second best contest of his life with a throw of 80.24m and five throws of more than 79m, however insufficient to win a medal.
I'm disappointed not to have a medal, but I'm proud of the competition, very regular, with a throw over 80 m
Quentin Bigot
"
It's half-half.
I'm disappointed not to have a medal, but I'm proud of the competition, very regular, with a throw over 80 m.
I'm happy to have arrived in good shape, at my best level, I would have had to beat my record well to get a medal.
We had to get more
, he commented in the mixed zone.
There is no questioning at all with my trainer Pierre-Jean Vazel.
I was 4th in 2017 at the Worlds with 77m, the world level is rising but I am this climb, I hang this basket.
Since 2016, I have taken one meter per season.
I want to go for 81m next year then 82m the year of the Paris Games.
»
Le Lorrain was overtaken by the three throwers who already occupied the Olympic podium last summer, in a different order.
Poland's Pawel Fajdek, bronze at the Olympics, achieved the feat of winning a fifth consecutive world title with a throw of 81.98m, the best world performance of the season.
Only the Ukrainian Sergei Bubka had already done better with six titles in a row in the pole vault between 1983 and 1997. 80.87m).
100m in the evening
The French team was also able to rejoice in the demonstration of Alice Finot, who won her series of 3,000 m steeplechase with authority in 9 min 14 sec 34, a French record improved by more than 5 seconds.
Finot has an appointment on Wednesday in the final where she looks like an outsider.
The four tricolor hurdlers Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, Sasha Zhoya, Just Kwaou-Mathey (over 110m hurdles) and Wilfried Happio (400m hurdles) have all passed the playoff milestone.
In the 400m hurdles, the Norwegian Karsten Warholm was particularly expected, while a muscle injury had hampered his preparation in early June, preventing him from running this season.
The Olympic champion and world record holder dominated his series with ease (49.34).
He will leave the star for the evening to the cars of the short sprint, with the semi-finals (03:00 am in France) then the final (04:50) of the 100 m.
The American Olympic vice-champion Fred Kerley advances as a favorite after his demonstration in the playoffs on Friday (9 sec 79), and while the physical condition of the Italian Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs still raises questions.
