Kevin Mayer is still in contention for a medal in the decathlon of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Fourth in the standings after eight events, the Frenchman can hope to catch up again shortly, in the javelin throw.
[Mis à jour le 5 août 2021 à 09h44] There are only two events left in the decathlon of these 2021 Olympics: the javelin throw competition, which will start at 1:15 p.m., and the 1,500 meters, scheduled at 2:40 p.m.. If the first place should not escape the Canadian Damian Warner, the suspense remains in the race for the silver and bronze medals. The French Kevin Mayer, current fourth in the standings, can hope to return to the virtual podium after the javelin throw, a discipline in which he has, on paper, a clear advantage over the Australian Ashley Moloney and the other Canadian Pierce Lepage. “The podium is accessible, for sure, estimated Kevin Mayer after the pole vault. I know that I am very, very far from what I can do (Editor’s note: touched on the back before, the Games, Mayer evolves under anti-inflammatory drugs). But beyond that, even at this low level which is mine, I will perhaps manage to get a medal. I admit that I am thinking of the silver medal “. The decathlon ranking before the last two events :
- Damian Warner (CAN), 7 490 points
- Ashley Moloney (AUS), 7 269 pts
- Pierce Lepage (CAN), 7 175 pts
- Kevin Mayer (FRA), 7,129 pts
- Garrett Scantling (USA), 7 026 pts
As usual, the decathlon of these 2021 Olympics takes place over two days. Kevin Mayer entered the running on Wednesday August 4. The second day started Thursday with the 110m hurdles at 2am and will end with the traditional 1,500m at 2:40 pm. The program :
- 100m of the decathlon on August 4 at 2 a.m.
- Long jump in the decathlon on August 4 from 2:55 a.m.
- Shot put in the decathlon on August 4 at 4:40 am.
- High jump of the decathlon on August 4 at 11:30 am.
- 400m of the decathlon on August 4 at 2:30 p.m.
- 110m hurdles in the decathlon on August 5 at 2 a.m.
- Discus throw in the decathlon on August 5 at 2:50 a.m.
- Decathlon pole vault on August 5 at 5:45 am.
- Decathlon javelin throw on August 5 at 12:15 p.m.
- 1500m of the decathlon on August 5 at 2:40 p.m.
Kevin Mayer was born on February 10, 1992 in Argenteuil, in the department of Val-d’Oise in Île-de-France. In his youth, he mainly played tennis, which he practiced for 8 years but also tried other sports (swimming, rugby, badminton, handball, gymnastics, etc.) before discovering a passion for athletics as a result of ‘a cross. Good in several disciplines, he refuses to specialize and naturally ends up turning to the decathlon.
World champion cadet (2009) then juniors (2010), Kevin Mayer made his debut for seniors in 2012, the year of the London Olympics, which he finished in an honorable 15th place. In 2013, Kevin Mayer won his first international medal among seniors by winning the silver medal at the European Indoor Championships. In 2014, the Argenteuillais obtained silver at the European Championships, proof of his constant progress, before having a blank year in 2015 due to injuries. Kevin Mayer thus arrives fresh at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, where he obtains a beautiful silver medal behind one of the legends of the discipline, the American Ashton Eaton, by beating the record of France. He continues his momentum since he won the European indoor championship (heptathlon) by seizing the European record and confirms behind by winning the world championships in August in London.
In 2018, the Argenteuillais won the indoor world championships before dropping out at the European championships during the summer after biting his three tries to length. Following his failure, he participated in the Décastar de Talence in September and managed to break the world record. After a year 2019 truncated by injuries and the postponement of the Olympics, Kevin Mayer won the European Championships (heptathlon) indoors for the second time in March 2021 and seems ready to go for a first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.
Kevin Mayer won his first world titles in cadets and juniors, in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Outside, the native of Argenteuil won a silver medal in the decathlon at the European Championships in 2014, a gold medal at the 2017 world championships and a silver medal at the Rio Games in 2016. He also won the European Cup in 2013 and the Décastar in 2018, where he claimed the world record in the decathlon. Indoors (heptathlon), the Frenchman has a silver medal (2013) and two gold medals (2018 and 2021) at the European championships, as well as a gold medal at the 2018 world championships. also European record holder since 2017.
Kevin Mayer, one of the stars of French athletics, earns a comfortable salary, by his own admission, which is quite rare in the world of French athletics. The thing is, for brands, I seem to be worth a lot less because I’m a decathlete. They don’t want to pay the price. It is, for the moment, a little disappointing. But I don’t play sports for that. I am happy with what I have, I live very well as I am. I’m lucky to have two big sponsors: Nike with an eight-year contract, it’s very valuable, and Infologic, which follows me until the end of my career. I am lucky to be at ease. I admit that we expected better but I’m seeing things very well “, he confessed in 2018 to GQ. Even if he is still far from touching as much as a footballer or a tennis player, he has in addition was directly impacted by the pandemic, like many Olympic athletes. His income is indeed directly indexed to his performance in competition, which has been rather rare in recent months… “There are people who die every day. The priority is to solve the health problem. Yes, we will all lose money, I will probably lose a lot. But it seems so secondary to me right now. This is not what disturbs me in any case “, he confided in full confinement of spring 2020.
Kevin Mayer comes from a sporting family. His father André is a sports educator and his mother Carole is a PE teacher. He has two brothers, one of whom, Thomas, is his manager, and a half-brother. The decathlete has been in a relationship for several years with Delphine Jariel, French windsurfing champion (windsurfing) who aims to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris (2024) or Los Angeles (2028).
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