News

Menaldo looks to Rio for six of the best

Home
  • News
  • Menaldo looks to Rio for six of the best

French pole vaulting finds itself in its greatest state after the brilliant winter exploits of Renaud Lavillenie, the new indoor world record-holder.

But as he recovers from the injury which forced him out of the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot last month, the event is enjoying a strong legacy in his country.

France had two finalists at the event, with Jerome Clavier and Kevin Menaldo both clearing 5.55m, countback separating them from 10th and 11th position.

And now Menaldo, 21, is looking to build on that with his long-term aim of breaking six metres between now and the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.

He has shown signs of that progression having cleared 5.75m at the start of this year when he won his first French Indoor Championship crown.

Menaldo, speaking to gazettevaldoise.fr, has revealed that he is working “to aim to six metres up to the Games in Rio in 2016.”

And what does he think of Lavillenie, who took the world indoor record to 6.16m in February?

“It is phenomenal,” said Menaldo. “Renaud is in another world, another dimension.”

With his daily workouts comes the chance to match himself against another of his leading countryman as he trains with Axel Chapelle, who shared silver with Russia’s Leonid Kobelev at last year’s European Junior Championships in Rieti as they both cleared 5.25m.

Just as Menaldo has reached a new mark in 2014, Chapelle has too, going over at 5.45m indoors for a personal best.

Lavillenie might be way ahead, but the production line looks very good indeed and by the time of this summer's European Athletics Championships, the pair of them could be pushing to not only make the French team for Zurich, but also looking for a place on the podium.

As for Menaldo, his biggest moment might be in Rio, where if he achieves his aim of six metres, he could find himself having hero status of his own.



Official Partners
Official Partners
Official Partners
Official Partners
Official Partners
Official Partners
Broadcast Partner
Broadcast Partner
Preferred Suppliers
Supporting Hotel
Photography Agency