110m hurdles: Zhoya retains her title
Young hurdler Sasha Zhoya retained his French 110m hurdles title on Sunday in Angers, while multiple international medallist Pascal Martinot-Lagarde took 5th place and said goodbye to the Olympic Games.
In a discipline that is always dense for French athletics, Sasha Zhoya – priority for Olympic selection after her 6e place at the Worlds in 2023 – secured the essential by winning the race in 13 seconds 32.
The 22-year-old athlete, who had not been seen in competition for four months, had nevertheless had a real scare in the series. His starting block having slipped at the start, he had got up by raising his arm but, seeing that the judges were not whistle a false start, had to work hard to make up for his delay and take second qualifying place for the final in extremis.
Remobilized in the final, he finished ahead of Erwann Cinna (13”48) and Benjamin Lecoeur (13”53), two athletes who were not eligible for the Olympic Games.
Martinot-Lagarde far from the minimum
Conversely, Raphaël Mohamed (13”63) and Wilhem Belocian (13”79) are off the podium, respectively 4e and 8e, while they both achieved the Olympic minimums which begin in a month. Fourth man (for three places at the Games) to have met the minimum requirements, Aurel Manga did not race but was exempted by the French team doctor.
Aside from Zhoya whose participation in the Olympics is certain, it is therefore difficult to know at the moment which of the three others will complete the Olympic selection in the high hurdles.
The only certainty is that it will not be the international multi-medalist and French record holder Pascal Martinot-Lagarde.
Hindered for two years by injuries, “PML” returned to Angers to attempt a miracle which did not happen (5e in 13”70, far from the minimums set at 13”27”).
800 m: Imperial tual in front of Robert
Crowned French 800m champion on Sunday in Angers, the recent European champion Gabriel Tual validated his Olympic ticket in one of the most competitive disciplines in French athletics, but not Yanis Meziane, the big loser of the day.
In one of the rare disciplines where there were more contenders for the Olympic seeds (4) than available places (3), the double lap specialists knew that the final of the French Championships would act as justice of the peace.
Starting off quickly, Tual made his effort 250 m from the finish to take the lead of the race and never let go (1’43”99).
Behind him, the 2023 European indoor vice-champion, Benjamin Robert, took second place in 1’44”99 and will also see the Stade de France.
Meziane inconsolable
The duel for third place came down to the final meters when Yanis Méziane, third 40 m from the finish, was caught by Corentin Le Clezio. The latter, who had passed the minimums barely eight days ago, finally managed to win the final Olympic ticket (1’45”23).
Realizing quickly that the Games had just flown away for him, Yanis Meziane, 22, lay down on the track crying. Inconsolable, it was Benjamin Robert who finally helped him up to support him off the track.
“There were four of us to qualify so it was going to be the first three… It’s the harsh law of sport,” Meziane reacted, disappointed, in the mixed zone. “Every day people talk to me about it (the Games) as if I were qualified and each time I answer them: ‘no it’s not done’ hoping that it will be done… But no. »
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