Benjamin Robert saw the European title in the men’s 800m slip away from him as Agnès Raharolahy took bronze in the women’s final. Just Kwaou-Mathey, meanwhile, won bronze in the thousandths in the final of the 60m hurdles.
Benjamin Robert saw the European title escape him for three thousandths of a second! In the top three throughout the men’s 800m final of the European Indoor Championships, held in Istanbul, the member of the Toulouse club was neck and neck with the Spaniard Adrian Ben until the very last meters. On the finish line, they were both credited with a time of 1’47”34 but it was the thousandths of a second that prevailed and they turned in favor of Adrian Benwhose effort in the finishing straight paid off to dislodge the Frenchman from first place.
The Belgian Eliott Crestan, meanwhile, resisted the Bosnian Amel Tuka until the end. “I have mixed feelings. JI am happy to win the silver medal but also sad because the gold was within my reach, said Benjamin Robert at the end of this final. We did almost the same time. My strategy was simply to leave quickly because eight participants is a lot and it pushes a lot in the peloton. I tried to avoid that. Each race ends with three athletes in the first three places, this time I finish second and I hope to get first place next time. »
#Istanbul2023 | 🔥 THE FRENCH HARVEST CONTINUES! Magnificent bronze medal for Agnès Raharolahy in the 800m! 🥉
🇬🇧 Already 4 medals for the French delegation this afternoon!
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Raharolahy surprises
The 800m tricolor was at the party this Sunday in Istanbul. Indeed, a few minutes after the medal won by Benjamin Robert, Agnès Raharolahy was also able to finish on the podium in the women’s final. After having made the best start, the member athlete of the Nantes club was able to stay at the forefront until the final package. While Keely Hodgkinson justified her favorite status with a victory in 1’58”66 far ahead of Anita Horvat (2’00”54), Agnès Raharolahy was able to beat Lorza Ibarzabal by two hundredths of a second for the bronze in 2’00”85.
“Maybe I expected to win a medal here but I am still a novice at this distance and the 800m is an eminently tactical race, which is not my specialty, confided the Habs after this final. But, with Keely Hodgkinson having an ability to get off to a quick start, it was better for me and more of a type of race for me. Right now, she’s on a whole other level compared to us. But everything is still possible in the future and I may be able to beat her one day. I live in the west of France so I will go home tomorrow (Monday) and I can’t wait to bring this medal back to my coach and training partner who is injured. »
#Istanbul2023 | 🔥 NEW BLUE MEDAL! It’s Just Kwaou-Mathey 🇫🇷 who adorns himself with bronze on the 60m hurdles and who brings the 5th French charm of the day! Amazing !
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Kwaou-Mathey on the podium by a hair
If the thousandths did not turn in favor of Benjamin Robert, they favored Just Kwaou-Mathey in the 60m hurdles final. While Jason Joseph went for gold in 7”41 ahead of Jakub Szymanski (7”56), the French distance champion gave it his all. Crossing the finish line in 7”59, his time is in the same hundredth as Lorenzo Ndele Simonelli. Nevertheless, the photo finish made it possible to detect five thousandths of a second separating the Frenchman from the Italian, who fails at the foot of the podium.
“My start was slow but I’m happy with my race. I felt like I had taken the wrong impulse so during the race I knew I had to go fast, he said after the final. At the fifth hurdle I felt I could get closer and snatch a bronze medal. I was the only French hurdler in the final, which is not the case normally. We have a strong French team over hurdles. It will remain my best indoor season, so I’m happy to end it with this silver medal. With six medals, including one gold, the French delegation finished these European Indoor Championships in ninth place in the medal table.