This Sunday afternoon, during the warm-up preceding the Sotteville-lès-Rouen competition, the French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie injured his left ankle and even suffers from a sprain. An injury that occurs less than two weeks before the start of the Olympics.
Worried about Renaud Lavillenie? This Sunday afternoon, the pole vaulter should have participated in the meeting of Sotteville-lès-Rouen, located in the department of Seine-Maritime. One last competition before the Games. But, during the warm-up and therefore before the competition starts, the Frenchman injured his left ankle, which then obviously forced him to give up this meeting. The Americans were also present at the latter, Sam Kendricks and KC Lightfoot. Images from French sports daily The team show Lavillenie particularly worried, supported by two other people, his famous left ankle being then, at the same time, raised.
After not having been able to initiate his jump, as usual, during this famous warm-up, the athlete then fell back very badly., and more precisely on the side of the receiving mat. It was then that his ankle gave way, which then led to his being evacuated from the runway by rescuers. Rescuers who then took him directly to the infirmary, before the athlete, visibly eager to take no risk, definitively renounced this famous competition.
Lavillenie is not worried
Lavillenie, after leaving the stadium, had to go to the hospital to take exams to find out more. It didn’t take long for the diagnosis to fall. Indeed, the pole vaulter suffers from a sprain of this famous left ankle, with no fracture or bone tearing to report. ” Encouraging “, According to the principal concerned. In the meantime, the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan are getting closer. Initially scheduled from Friday July 24 to Sunday August 9, they will finally take place between Friday July 23 and Sunday August 8, after having been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Regarding the pole vault competition, the qualifications are scheduled for Saturday July 31st. This leaves Renaud Lavillenie a little less than three weeks to be operational. Second best performer of the year, with a jump made at 6.06m, the French pole vaulter is a real chance for a medal for France, or even, quite simply, for a title.