the essential
This Friday, Prayssassais Gabriel Tual takes place in the European Athletics Championships. He will be keen to perform well before the Olympic Games.
It is a sort of preparation before the Olympic Games that Prayssassais is about to experience. The European Athletics Championships will take place from Friday to Wednesday June 12, in Rome, Italy. Gabriel Tual, 26, is a specialist in the 800 meters: the double lap, renowned as one of the most difficult distances, because both in sprinting and in endurance, in physical resistance and mental resistance, while being very strategic.
“Adversaries he has already beaten”
Olympic finalist, 2023 French champion and finalist at the world championships, the hopes of a title at the European championship are very present for the young man. During the last Olympic Games in Tokyo, he reached the final and finished in 7th place. He plans to do better than his previous result, namely a semi-final at the world championships in 2023.
His trainer, Bernard Mossant, has already set the objectives for the coming weeks. “The goal is to at least reach the podium. Even if there are excellent athletes in Europe and the level is high, they are opponents he has already beaten.” An ambitious goal to enable us to be at the level at the future Games in a few weeks.
Preparation has already started for Lot-et-Garonnais. Bernard Mossant has only seen positives since the start of his training until today. You have to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the Frenchman to be in “Olympic” shape. “All the lights are green on training. He has not had any injuries this year. The physical preparation has been good and, mentally, he is in place. He is in good shape since he started his season well with a time only two tenths off his record.”
“He is ready, he will be at his best for the Games”
The rest proved a little more difficult for the graduate from Talence. “He did a second race where he was a little generous and he didn’t hold on. During his third race, he didn’t set a good time, but he still finished ahead of the world champions!” coach, before continuing: “Physically, he is very good. The winter preparation went without a hitch.”
The preparation for this championship is a foretaste of the Olympic Games which await this summer in Paris. There are still a few stages left before the start of the Games. Races in Finland, Madrid, the French championships or even the Monaco meeting: these will be the last races for Villeneuvois before the final stage of the Olympics. “He is ready and will be at his best for the Games,” agrees Mossant. But before thinking about all that, there is already a strong message to send during these European Championships.
