A failed bet for Teddy Tamgho. Retired since 2019, the triple jumper had announced that he would return to training in 2023 with the Paris Olympic Games in his sights this summer. He only had one last chance to qualify, this Saturday, at the French Athletics Championships held in Angers. But credited with a fifth place and a best jump of 16.47 m, the 2013 world champion landed too far from the minimum set at 17.22 m and will therefore not see the track at the Stade de France.
Disappointment also for Quentin Bigot, 2019 vice-world champion and fifth in the 2021 Olympics in the hammer throw. “That’s it, it’s over,” he said to AFP, his face marked. “Despite the conditions, it was possible… Pfff, the summer is going to be very difficult to get through. Missing the Games, in France, in Paris…”. In the rain that raged at the end of the day, the thrower, who had back surgery a few months ago, came second behind Yann Chaussinand with a best throw of 74.67 m, too far from the Olympic minimum set at 78.20 m.
Among the great performances of the day, we will note the 11″01 (+ 1.3 m/s), of Gémima Jospeh in the 100 m. At 22 years old, the Guyanese who had already achieved the minimum for the Games is getting closer to the mythical barrier of 11 seconds and confirms that she is the leader of the French sprint. She takes with her the young Chloé Galet, also 22 years old, vice-champion of France and who lowered her personal record to 11″11 this Saturday.
“It’s great! I wanted to get below 11″, but maybe we need a little more good weather,” Joseph said to The team.
Standing ovation for Christophe Lemaitre
This second day of the Elite French Championships also allowed the Angevin public to salute the career of Christophe Lemaitre. The bronze medalist from the 2016 Rio Games formalized his retirement from sports on Thursday and was able to enjoy a nice standing ovation.
“There are a lot of emotions, of course,” he admitted to the organizers’ microphone. “I didn’t expect to experience an emotion like that. (…) This sport has given me a lot, not only in terms of performances and medals but has also made me evolve as a person. I will never thank enough all the people I have met, all those who have helped me.”
Surrounded by, among others, Pierre-Alexis Pessonneaux, his former clubmate with whom he won the bronze medal in the 4 x 100 m relay in London in 2012, the newly retired athlete also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Pierre Carraz, his former coach, who died in December 2022. Eloyse Lesueur-Aymonin, 35, also announced the end of her career. For her last championship, she finished second in the long jump competition with a jump of 6.66 m.
