He sends kisses to the sky, displays a broad smile.
Renaud Lavillenie was scared, very scared, by missing his first two attempts at 5.65m, before clearing the bar on his third attempt.
A few minutes later, the one who is participating in his seventh World Championships, achieved 5.75 m, a sufficient bar to participate in the final, scheduled for the night of Sunday to Monday.
“I would have liked with an easier competition, but things don't always go as planned, the important thing is that it passes.
The 35-year-old pole vaulter says he experienced "a little emotional lift".
“I had done a very good warm-up, I was confident, I was able to regain my full momentum, I was able to find what I had been looking for for a few months.
And then the first try puts me in.
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Read also“Everything was destroyed in a few seconds”: Renaud Lavillenie, the descent into hell
Lavillenie was then forced to "fight".
“I tried not to focus on how to jump anymore, I told myself that we shouldn't let go.
I would have preferred to do 5.65m before my 3rd attempt, but it does not matter.
When the jumps left, they were good jumps.
Qualifications are always stressful, this year we have 12 guys at 5.75m, we are on a high level, the slightest mistake is fatal.
»
The 4 x 100 m relay in the final
On the night of Sunday to Monday, the London Olympic champion in 2012 will participate in his 6th world final.
“I hope to get a 6th medal, he admits.
There is competition, but I am on a ramp up.
I'm not going to ignite, I'm not going to say that I'm going to do 6 m, but I have nothing more to lose.
I'm going to be freed from a weight, I've regained sensations, there's no longer this feeling of telling myself
I'm going, I'm not going, I keep it
.
Sunday, I give everything in front of a nice audience, which will also be an actor.
I'm clearly looking forward to the final, that's what I've been fighting for all season, the best time is coming.
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🏃 Let's go for the American night in Eugene with on the program: the pole qualifications, the 4x100 m series, the semi-finals of the women's 800 m or the grand final of the women's 400 m hurdles
▶ Follow the live: https ://t.co/klUpoYd9EE pic.twitter.com/a4sX71mlTW
— francetvsport (@francetvsport) July 23, 2022
In the final, Renaud Lavillenie will be the only one of the three tricolor pole vaulters engaged in the Worlds, Thibaut Collet having stuck at 5.65 m, while Valentin Lavillenie did not manage to cross the slightest bar.
Last night in Eugene was marked, on the French side, by the qualification of the 4 x 100 m relay for the final, scheduled for the night of Saturday to Sunday.
After 8 days of competition, France has still not won a single medal.