The world champion, crowned three weeks ago in the United States, was faced with an unprecedented chain of two decathons in less than a month. “I’m going to be honest, I’m a little in evil,” warned the athlete, two days before he entered the running.
Le Monde with AFP
Sacred world champion in July in the United States, Kevin Mayer abandoned, Monday, August 15, the decathlon from the first event (the 100m), at the European athletics championships that stand in Munich, in Germany.
At 30, the athlete cut his effort around 70 meters. Then he praised the audience of the Munich Olympic stadium with the hand.
The double Olympic vice-champion (2016 and 2021) and double world champion (2017 and 2022) of the decathlon was faced with an unprecedented chain of two decathlons in three weeks. Accustomed to focusing on one per season, he warned that he will “take [t] no risk” at the slightest physical alert.
“I feel that my body has not recovered “
“I’m going to be honest, I’m a little in evil. I feel that my body has not recovered,” he said on Saturday, two days before his entry into competition. He was afraid to injure himself and that it has an impact on the next seasons.
“If I have no pain, I will do the decathlon to the end. But if there is the slightest pain and a risk that it can cost me in the future, it will not be worth it” , had he warned.
In August 2023, he will compete in the Worlds in Budapest and, above all, he wishes to be at the meeting at the Olympic Games in Paris, in 2024. Kevin Mayer was one of the main chances of podium for the Blues in Bavaria.