2023-08-16 15:06:12
“I won’t take any risks for Paris, says Mayer (31), whose last completed decathlon dates back precisely to his second world title in Eugene (Oregon, United States) in July 2022. At any time, if I feel a little pain, a little thing…”
The decathlon is scheduled for August 25 and 26 in the Hungarian capital.
Question: How do you view your season so far?
Answer: “Of course I didn’t want to tear myself (in the hamstrings on June 9 in Paris, editor’s note) two and a half months before the Worlds. But, at 31 now, I have gained confidence in (big) championships which allows me to be sure of myself when others will doubt all day long and destroy their health because of it. When I am injured, I simply enjoy the fact that I am resting. Every time that is offered to me, I use it as efficiently as possible while keeping pleasure and lightness. This is what allows me to be, when I arrive in the championships, not necessarily confident because of my season in terms of performance, but confident in my preparation. I know it’s the only time I’m really in good shape.”
Q: How are you approaching this decathlon, your first in a year?
A: “I see a huge fight, because there are people. I go there to fight like a madman. And then if I take the lead, too bad for the others and good for me. If they take it, I will fight the second day, as usual. On the other hand, I will not take any risk for Paris. At any time, if I feel a little pain, a little thing… A world champion title , it’s too good, but I’ve already done it. The priority is Paris. For the moment, it smells good, but you never know. I prefer to start telling myself, just in case, that if there is the slightest problem, I stop. I am passionate, it is difficult to convince myself to stop, (if necessary) I hope to have the hindsight to tell myself that Paris, this is only once.
Q: One year before the 2024 Olympics, Budapest is also an opportunity to mark its territory…
A: “Me, I don’t care… At each competition, all the counters are reset to zero. It’s sure that it’s a good way to mark your territory. But in a year, if that is, Skotheim (young Norwegian decathlete, editor’s note) will give us 8900 points, we don’t know… (…) You have to have your priorities, give yourself the means to achieve your goals. I know today that if I reach 100% physically in a competition, I have every chance of being first. I am a competitor and I transcend myself with the jersey of the France team. There are those who need a decathlon, two, full of competitions, I know what to do.”
Q: Being rare in competition and focusing on the main event of the season is your preferred pattern…
A: “I would like to be Anna Hall (young American heptathlete, editor’s note), who is 22 years old and who does all the competitions. But I understood, especially with my profile which goes to 150% on the day of the decathlon, that I was taking longer to recover. It hurts me more, resolving all the little tensions that were created during the competition takes longer. I am adapting to my condition in fact. I will never say that I am old, because I feel like I’m still evolving, but I have decathlons in my legs and I have to be careful, because the pleasure will only be there if I make the right choices. very careful.”
Q: Do you already have an idea of your calendar in 2024 before the Olympics?
A: “If in Budapest I qualify for the Games, I will not do another decathlon, that’s for sure and certain. I will surely do the winter, if I can. Istanbul (where he was crowned champion of European Indoor Heptathlon in March), it really helped me. I find that it is more useful to do an indoor heptathlon than competitions with the specialists. Rome (for the European Outdoor Championships in June), no. I can’t do two decathlons in a row. You can’t take any risks before the Games.”
Interview by Elodie SOINARD.
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#priority #Paris #recalls #Mayer #Worlds2023
