English
French
News Archive
Press Point Emma Coburn et Jenny Simpson
Jennifer Simpson, USA, 1500m I’m excited to be here after Rio, especially since I ran my personal best here in Paris two years ago. We haven’t done a lot of tourism, but I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday here on the 23rd. Sometimes it can be difficult to run after such a big event. But now I know what it takes to have a great performance after winning a medal. Tomorrow the race’s pace should make for a sub 4 minute effort. Emma Coburn, USA, 3000m steeplechase Coming to Paris is great. We spent a lot of time in Rio, and it’s nice to get out of the craziness of the Games and to settle down here. We came here straight from Rio on the 19th, just training and resting since then. My goal for tomorrow and for Zurich will be to try to beat some of the girls that were in front of me at the Games. I also want to improve my personal best from Rio. I’d like to get back in the routine of racing hard and fast and get back that competitive edge.
Press points Renaud Lavillenie (Pole vault)
In Lausanne it wasn’t the jet lag but the travel fatigue that was difficult. Rio was also exhausting from a sporting and psychological point of view, and the competitions that follow Championships are always hard. The most important was to see how I was feeling and to avoid an injury. So I’m here with real ambitions compared to yesterday. I managed to win points in the Diamond League race, which is my goal for the end of the season and that I hope to win for a 7th time. Now I need to focus on recovery. Tomorrow I will enjoy the Stade de France like each time I compete here. It will be an interesting competition that I hope to win again after my defeat last year, the first one since 2009.
Press point Laurent Boquillet, Athlete's Liaison
We’re quite lucky after Lausanne as nobody got injured or too tired. We were a bit worried yesterday night. I think it will be a good meet, I’m pretty happy about what we have. It’s a huge difference from previous years as we’ve always been at the beginning of July before the major Championships. We will probably miss some spectators compared to the last years, but we’ll be able to celebrate the medallists from Rio. It’s another way to look at a meet and to enjoy a show. We’re looking at a bit more than 30’000 people in the stadium.
Press point Faith Kipyegon (1 500 m)
I thank God for winning silver last year in Beijing and gold this year in Rio. We did a good program with my coach this season heading into the Games. It was a good race in Rio. I’m ready for tomorrow. I trained two days with my manager before coming here. I just want to run a good race. I don’t think about the world record for this year. Everyone is tired from the heats, semis and final at the Olympics. In the future I want to improve my personal best to 3:55’.
Press point Ruth Jebet (3,000 m steeplechase)
I’m very happy to be an Olympic Champion as before I was a junior medallist. My body is tired from Rio, but not too much. Tomorrow I will give my best. I don’t have any regrets from not beating the world record during the Games as I gave my best for my time. I’m tired now but if my body is ok I might try to beat the record in Zurich.
Press point Kevin Mayer (javelin)
The Games were a great competition. I did a perfect Decathlon to get the silver. It was so hard to achieve this medal. I want to stay on my cloud now. I like this event (javelin). This is a chance for me to take part in a javelin competition tomorrow without the other decathlon events before. I’m not in a good shape, I didn’t train. I’m doing this competition to see the French people and to share with them my medal. I don’t expect to do a special performance.
27 medallists from the Rio games home in on the MEETING de PARIS
Athletics is still all about the numbers. They speak louder than words. On Saturday 27 August 2016, no fewer than 27 medallists from the Rio Games will be competing at the Stade de France for the MEETING de PARIS, the French leg of the IAAF Diamond League. Among them, some of the most outstanding heroes of the Olympic event, including Americans Kerron Clement and Ryan Crouser, Jamaican Elaine Thompson and Croatian Sandra Perkovic.
The Olympic heroes head to the MEETING de PARIS
The curtain has fallen on the Rio Games 2016 this Sunday 21 August, but the athletics continues. Indeed, the Olympic heroes will be stopping off in Paris, on Saturday 27 August, for the twelfth stage of the IAAF Diamond League. The meeting promises to be quite a spectacle, with the presence at the Stade de France of an impressive delegation of champions and medallists fresh from the Olympics Games 2016.
A big blue wave at the Stade de France
French athletes have always felt at home in the Stade de France. Since the event began, the organisers have given them pride of place on the track and on the event poster, year on year. The 2016 edition of the MEETING de PARIS, the twelfth leg of the IAAF Diamond League will continue the tradition, whilst giving it a whole new depth. On Saturday 27 August, it will be party-time for the Blues in the Ile de France arena as they are welcomed back from the Games in Rio Janeiro by their home supporters. The evening is sure to have a communion-like air as the Olympic heroes are celebrated with pomp and pride.
