After Bordeaux and Tourcoing, and before Clermont-Ferrand, Rouen welcomed the best pole vaulters in the world for a spectacular competition on Saturday February 6 at Kindarena. Covid obliges: the 2021 edition was done behind closed doors.
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The Perche Elite Tour 2021 is, as usual, organized by the Stade Sottevillais at the Rouen sports center, the “Kindarena”. It’s the second world pole vault meeting. A competition that brings together 25 international athletes.
To review the best moments show presented by Grégory Thélu and broadcast on Sunday February 7, 2021 on France 3 Normandie:
REPLAY – Relive the Perche Elite Tour 2021 in Rouen
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Victory for Swedish Armand Duplantis
The duel at the top of the world pole vault between Armand Duplantis and Renaud Lavillenie turned on Saturday evening in Rouen in favor of the Swedish prodigy who crossed 6.03 m, best world performance of the year.
Another bar at 6m, I’m really happy to have won because I know that the other guys like Renaud Lavillenie have a great level tonight.
???? What a Martian! Armand Duplantis crosses a bar at 6.03 m on his first try! @airlavillenie ends the competition at the bar of 5.93 m #WhyEliteTour pic.twitter.com/9s9i6Ncq0e
– France tv sport (@francetvsport) February 6, 2021
No new record for Renaud Lavillenie
Behind the little prince of the pole, King Lavillenie confirms his comeback with a nice jump at 5m93. But the Clermontois failed beyond 6m. “When I see where I’m coming from over the past few months, I could never have imagined doing four courts in a row at 5m90. It’s a bit frustrating because I’m a competitor. attempts, “says the 2012 Olympic champion.
At 34, he saw a rebirth and went on outings at altitudes he was no longer used to frequenting. After a catastrophic 2019 (elimination in qualifying for the Doha Worlds, a first in a major championship) and a last season ignored by the Covid-19, the French seems to be experiencing a second youth.
While he had not exceeded 6 m since March 2016, Renaud Lavillenie had again marked the spirits with a jump to 6.02 m, Sunday January 30 in Tourcoing. Proof that this extraordinary competitor should not be buried too quickly and that the prospect of the Tokyo Olympics in 6 months gave him new life.
In the ladies’ event, the Briton Holly Bradshaw left its competitors far behind, taking the lead in the global balance sheet, with a bar at 4,85 m, dethroning the American Sandi Morris (4.81 m on January 31 in Fayetteville in the United States) which ultimately did not come to the Rouen meeting.
485 WL (for now @sandicheekspv ????) ????
I came into this competition feeling grateful, carefree and I had an absolute blast! ????
Thank you so much @WhyEliteTour for the competitive opportunity & @Meeting_Lievin for helping me prepare ???? pic.twitter.com/6jbM0ficuN
— Holly Bradshaw (@HollyBradshawPV) February 7, 2021
Belarus Iryna Zhuk placed 2nd with 4,62 m, while the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 world champion Ekaterini Stefanidi interrupted his competition along the way.
The classification of the Perche Elite Tour 2021
Classifications of the ladies and men’s events of the Perche Elite Tour de Rouen, held on Saturday February 6, 2021:
- 1. Holly Bradshaw (GBR) 4,85 m (MPM)
- 2. Iryna Zhuk (BLR) 4,62 m
- 3. Alysha Newman (CAN) 4,62 m
- 4. Eleni-Klaoudia Polak (GRE) 4.62 m
- 5. Tina Sutej (SLO) 4.62 m
- 6. Anicka Newell (CAN) 4,53 m
- 7. Angelica Moser (SUI) 4,43 m
- . Femke Pluim (NED) 4.43 m
- 9. Margot Chevrier (FRA) 4.43 m
- 10. Ekaterini Stefanidi (GRE) 4.43 m
GENTLEMEN
- 1. Armand Duplantis (SWE) 6,03 m (MPM)
- 2. Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) 5.93 m
- . Christopher Nielsen (USA) 5,93 m
- 4. Sam Kendricks (USA) 5,83 m
- 5. Jacob Wooten (USA) 5,73 m
- . Ethan Cormont (FRA) 5.73 m
- 7. Cole Walsh (USA) 5,73 m
- 8. Valentin Lavillenie (FRA) 5.60 m
- 9. Mathieu Collet (FRA) 5.60 m
- 10. Thibaut Collet (FRA) 5.45 m
Competition behind closed doors
But, this year, due to the pandemic and health measures, the pole vaulters were not entitled to the clamor of the public, to the “wind in the back” blown away by the thousands of spectators who came to attend this great athletics festival because in Rouen, the Perche Elite Tour 2021 took place behind closed doors. It was therefore necessary to rethink the entire organization.
The absence of the public will change the visual rendering of the room. We will try to compensate for that by making great efforts on the animation and the staging.
video length: 01:42
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Pole Vault Elite Tour 2021: a competition under the hood
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An international competition and a unique show in France
Expected every year by all pole vaulters, the “Why Elite Tour” is a French circuit organized with a stopover in a different city each weekend.
The competition starts from 9 am with the youngest until the evening awith the biggest and biggest pole vaulter in the world. It’s a real show, a spectacle, while maintaining its official character.
The start list of international competitions is up to date! ????????
See you Saturday on Eurosport 2 or on the France 3 Normandie website ???? pic.twitter.com/HfgHyy19zd– Why Elite Rouen (@PercheEliteTour) February 2, 2021
It is during these meetings that athletes try to beat their personal best and, for the best, this is where they prepare for major international competitions.
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