Renaud Lavillenie won the 2012
European Championships at the pole vault last weekend, with jumps of
5.92m and 5.97m. He is the world leader. He also is still exhausted from
the Euros. But, he won here, in coolness of a post rained on facility
at the Stade de France. This is how I saw it:
Renaud Lavillenie, 2012 Roma Golden Gala DL, photo by PhotoRun.net
Renaud Lavillenie is the best vaulter in the world in 2012. He is also the most consistent. Lavillenie is a future sports superstar. He can handle media queries in both French and English (my first interview with him, at the Euro Indoors, was in French, which be smiled and tried to understand my many mistakes). But mostly, the guy has pole vault muscle memory. And, AREVA Paris means alot to him. He had won three times before 2012.
The vaulting started at 5.32 for mere mortals, but not for Monsieur Lavillenie. Renaud started at 5.62 meters. Renaud cleared 5.62m, then passed at 5.72m.
“My goal tonight was to win and keep my lead in the Diamond League Race. This is what happened, I managed to do it! ” noted Renaud post event.
“Also, this is the fourth time in a row that I have won this meet. I think that is pretty good. The performance was not amazing, but tonight, the rank was more improtant than the performance. I would have liked to jump 5.82m, but I was tired from the Helsinki competition and the weather conditions were bad. Since we were all tired, because of Helsinki, no one jumped very high, but, I remain undefeated this season.” was how Renaud put the event in perspective.
Konstantinos Filippidis of Greece cleared 5.52m on his first, 5.62m on his first, and missed three times at 5.72m. Konstantinos took second.
Bjorn Otto of Germany cleared 5.52m on his first, 5.62m on his second, passed at 5.72m, tried 5.77m to win, missed all three attempts there, and took third.
Steve Lewis of Great Britain cleared 5.52m on his first, and missed all three at 5.62m. Steve Lewis remained fourth.
For Renaud Lavillenie, this was part of that building to London 2012. The goal is to clear heights, on fewest attempts and win that gold medal. Nothing else matters.
AREVA Paris Pole Vault, Men. 1. Renaud Lavillenie, FRA, 5.77m, 2. Konstantinos Filippidis, GRE, 5.62m, 3.Bjorn Otto, Germany, 5.62m, 4. Steve Lewis, GBR, 5.52m, 5.Malte Mohr, GER, 5.52m, 6.Maksym Mazuryk, UKR, 5.52m, 7. Jerome Clavier, FRA, 5.52m, 8. Emile Denecker, FRA, 5.52m,
