Kevin Mayer preferred not to be stubborn. Uncertain for the decathlon, the reigning world champion had done everything to be there to defend his crown despite severe pain in the left Achilles tendon. It was therefore a conqueror that he wanted to tackle his first day of the decathlon, this Friday in Budapest, but his body did not follow.
After an encouraging first 100m without being totally thrilling (10″79, 14th place), the Frenchman clearly grimaced in the long jump. His mark at 7m25, well below his personal best at 7m80, left little room for doubts. His physical attitude, with hands on his knees and scenes of motivation despite the pain, betrayed an embarrassment impossible to overcome. It was therefore after this second test, with a 16th place unworthy of his status, that Mayer decided to stop the charges.
Mayer, mixed feelings: the 100m of the French on the decathlon
Mayer learned the lesson of Doha
“At some point, you have to admit defeat and start again for the Paris Games next yearhe blew at the microphone of France 2 a few minutes after the formalization. I said 50-50 a few days ago but honestly it was more than a 10% chance of finishing this decathlon“.
“I spent a very difficult fortnight where I knew it was going to be very complicated, but I didn’t want to give up.he added. I know that in the decathlon there can be a switch at a time when the pain becomes superfluous. […] I could have gone further but I wouldn’t have finished the decathlon or else with a big injury, like in Doha“. But, as expected, the prospect of the Olympics in Paris in a year weighed very heavily in the decision. For him, there was no question of sacrificing anything.
Kevin Mayer at the Budapest 2023 Worlds
Credit: Getty Images
Next year I’ll give it my all to be Superman
“My Achilles heel is my body, not my opponents. When I am physically present and without pain, it passes. It didn’t happen this year. I told all the athletes of the France team who missed their competition that it was better for it to be now than in a year, here it is“, he still dropped.
But, even in the pain, Mayer took pleasure. His love of the decathlon allows him to put this loss of world crown into perspective. The main thing is elsewhere. “They say the decathlon is hard, but giving up a decathlon is even harder. I knew it was over at lengthhe concluded. So with each jump I said to myself: Come on, one more, enjoy.’ If you knew how much I love this sport. How much I vibrate with each test even when I shit like that. Fuck, tell your kids to do decathlon. In difficulty or in joy, it’s crazy. I have no regrets, I give everything I have every day, because I have a deep love for what I do. You have to accept that you’re not Superman, that you’re human, and that doesn’t always happen. Next year I’ll give it my all to be Superman“.
