He fails by nothing despite his constant progress. After tasting the joys of a podium at the Doha Worlds in 2019, Quentin Bigot must this time be content with a place of honor, deserving and terribly frustrating for a competitor. Fourth in the world in London in 2017 and fifth at the Olympic Games last year in Tokyo, the hammer thrower from Lorraine found the worst place in the final, fourth, on Saturday July 16 in Eugene, Oregon (United States).
In a discipline in full expansion and which offers a rare density, it was necessary to cross the barrier of 80 meters to claim to be among the three best. Quentin Bigot succeeded (80.24 meters). But that turned out to be insufficient, he should have beaten his personal best (80.55 meters) to get on a new podium.
“It’s a bit half fig, half grape. Inevitably, a little disappointed not to have brought back a charm. On the other hand, I am proud of the competition, of a very good regularityhe confided. I threw 80 yards. Not many hammer throwers have done that in a world championship final. 80 meters on D-Day is tough. »
As expected and as for ten years, it was the Polish pitchers who dominated the competition. Pawel Fajdek – four-time world champion – added a fifth title to his collection (81.98 metres) and Wojciech Nowicki – reigning Olympic champion – took the silver medal (81.03 metres). The Norwegian Eivind Henriksen completes the trio, a few tens of centimeters in front of the tricolor pitcher: 80.87 against 80.24 meters.
Ejected from the podium on the 3rd throw
On Friday, Bigot had easily passed the qualification mark with a quiet throw at 77.95 meters. On Saturday, however, he had ideally launched his competition with a throw a notch above, 79.52 meters. He only took the lead after the first try, the podium after two throws and was ejected from it on the third. In the fifth, when he flirted with the 80 meters, he took his head in his hands, aware that despite his regularity at a very high level, the reward escaped him.
Fourth world performer of the season before landing in Oregon, the Frenchman had beaten his personal record twice in 2022 by reaching the 80 meters for the first time: twice with 80.14 m on May 29 in Forbach, then 80, 55m on June 5 in Chorzow (Poland). In Oregon, he hit the second-best throw of his career on third down.
Before the competition, he announced to the World : “A medal will be played beyond 80 meters and perhaps around 81 or 82 meters. » The former world vice-champion had a hollow nose, but he once again lacked that little extra that turns disappointment into satisfaction. “There is no questioning at all. The world level is rising insanely but I am the level. Since I’ve been training with Pierre-Jean [Vazel, son coach], I take 1 m to 1.50 m per season. We will continuehe insisted. When you do 80 meters, you feel good (laughs). »
His Doha performance – 78.19 meters – would have placed him just 8the today. “My competition average is 79.60 metres. This is the best competition of my life. I would have had to beat my record really well to get a medal. It’s sports. Henriksen, it only took him one jet to pass me by. »
Paris 2024 objective
Freight train driver, the Messin will not have time to dwell on this failure for too long. In August, he will have the opportunity to break his curse at the European Championships in Munich. From next year, he will again be one of the favorites at the Budapest Worlds, the last stage before the meeting of a career, the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Trained by Pierre-Jean Vazel for six years, with whom he has formed an atypical and close-knit duo since his youthful error – a suspension for doping which kept him away from competition between 2014 and 2017 – Bigot does not deviate an inch in his ambition. He is aiming for the Olympic title. “I have no limits to have. In 2024 for the Olympic Games in Paris, we would like to achieve 83 meters in the year, which could ensure me the title of Olympic champion “he said before the 2022 Worlds.
One of the smallest players on the board, Quentin Bigot is recognized for his impeccable throwing technique. He and his coach therefore know his area of progress. Perhaps the inches that separate him from regular international podiums lie in pure PTO.
“I am technically very fair, it is sometimes said in the industry that I am the best technician in the world. On the other hand on the force, I am really below all my competitors, he confided in a press conference before his entry into the running. In the snatch in the weight room, I lift 100 kg, my competitors 150. In squat, I have a maximum of 220, them 300. No resignation in this observation since it is certain: “Strength can be acquired up to 40, 45 years without problem. Every year, I gain strength. »
His trainer, Pierre-Jean Vazel, confirms after this news 4e world place: “We project ourselves on Paris. The hammer is fine. There is no age limit. He has a margin of physical progress. There is nothing simpler than gaining strength, but you have to find the balance between strength and relaxation. »
The France team will have to wait to win its first medal. On Sunday, the hurdlers Sasha Zhoya and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde represent the next tricolor chances. An early click would be welcome to avoid reliving the nightmare of Tokyo, where the first Olympic medal was slow in coming. The French Federation only escaped zero points thanks to the 2e instead of Kevin Mayer. Especially since this year, the decathlete closes the program on the last day of the Worlds, July 24.