Beaten for a thousandth by the Spaniard Asier Martinez, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde failed to retain his continental crown on Wednesday evening.
Article written by
Posted
Update
Reading time : 1 min.
We had to take out the photo finish to decide between them in the final of the 110 meter hurdles. A small thousandth separated Pascal Martinot-Lagarde (13″138) from the Spaniard Asier Martinez (13″137), crowned European champion, Wednesday August 17, in Munich.
There is a taste of déjà vu for the Frenchman, crowned European champion for four thousandths in Berlin, four years ago, ahead of the Russian Sergei Chubenkov. This time, the result is not in his favor but the 30-year-old athlete kept smiling. Mined by repeated injuries, the Frenchman set the best time of his season. “The season is what it is, I gave it my all and I’m very happy. (…) It’s the shoulder line that counts and today it was Martinez up front. Even I didn’t know who won”confided the latter after his race, at the microphone of France Télévisions.
The smile was even bigger for Just Kwaou-Mathey, 23, who took the bronze medal by two hundredths. In the battle with the Swiss Jason Joseph, the Norman had to wait for the times to appear on the big screen to let his joy explode. Enough to afford a very first international charm, a month after having played in the semi-final of the 110 meter hurdles at the Eugene Worlds. Less publicized than Sasha Zhoya, the athlete with a frail silhouette proved that he had to be counted on. “I didn’t want to let go of this third place, I’m very happy”, he enthused.
TThird Frenchman engaged in the final, Sasha Zhoya fell on the last hurdle, unbalanced. The world record holder for the distance among the juniors was playing his first season with the adults. The 20-year-old hurdler finished eighth and last in this final, but still has many good years ahead of him. The new generation confirms the good form of the tricolor on the event and adds to the meager tricolor track record in athletics bringing its total to four medals.