2024-03-02 23:31:10
It’s not that he’s starting to get fed up, but almost. In a final as expected dominated by the American Grant Holloway in 7”29 (equaled Championship record), Just Kwaou-Mathey finished third once more (7”47). Like at the outdoor European Championships in Munich, in 2022, and like at the indoor Euro in Istanbul, in 2023. And this third international bronze medal had a bit of a bland taste. The 24-year-old hurdler did not exult, jump in all directions, or cross the track at full speed, euphoric.
Except that a year ago, his time average was around 7”60, with a record at 7”53. This year, the native of Évreux lowered his record by a tenth, running four times under 7”50, and never above 7”58. “It’s another third place, as usual, I think there’s something bad happening to me,” he said, smirking towards his sprinter friend Jeff Erius, who had followed him into the zone. mixed. We laugh regarding it with Jeff. If I come third at the Games, that will be good, but hey…”
But hey, Saturday evening, Kwaou-Mathey, usually so sunny, did not hide his disappointment. Which says a lot regarding his ambition. “I didn’t do a good half, it didn’t give me confidence. » After a series in 7”52, he did not seem to be bleeding in the next round, failing to make the difference and taking second place in 7”54, tied with the Belgian Michael Obasuyi and the Spaniard Asier Martinez (who had run under reserve but was ultimately disqualified for false start).
No perfect race in the final either: “I didn’t do my race. The second makes my record. I would have liked to beat him once more, it’s a shame. » This Sunday evening, on the second step of the podium, it is a 21-year-old Italian, Lorenzo Simonelli, who will climb there. New emanation of a golden generation, with long jumpers Mattia Furlani and Larissa Iapichino, the hurdler increased his record from 7”59 to 7”43 this winter. The time achieved by Kwaou-Mathey in Liévin, less than a month ago.
This bronze medal, won this time in the Worlds, is obviously “the most beautiful”, as he admitted followingwards. “It validates the work done with Giscard over the past few months. » Since October, “JKM” joined Giscard Samba’s group in Créteil, disrupting his entire lifestyle, he who had lived in a “cocoon” at Creps de Poitiers since 2018. The coach, on the other hand, displayed a broad smile . “There’s a charm at the end, we’ll take it,” he decided. It will make him realize that he is now one of the monsters. He is no longer the outsider, the little boy who comes hoping to fight with the best. He is one of the best and the others will know that he exists. »
Samba, black cap screwed on his head, underlined the regularity of his athlete, but noted a point which, according to him, had deprived him of a more precious metal: “He got off to a good start, unlike the other races, but on this which is his strength, in the end, he gets eaten. The emotion, the context must have caught up with him a little at the end. »
“At the moment, I think it’s regarding commitment and lucidity over the hurdle,” JKM analyzed. I was so focused on the medal that I forgot technical points. » There were also some hiccups on the side of Wilhem Belocian. The 2024 French champion, who started the day superbly (7”47 in the series), ended up paying for the risks taken in his start by leaving the ship in the semi-finals (7”64).
In the end, Kwaou-Mathey, who is still at the start of his career, perpetuates the tradition which has seen a Frenchman on each podium of the World Indoor Championships since 2012 and the bronze of Pascal Martinot-Lagarde. Solid and promising.
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