Renaud Lavillenie won a silver medal last night but he was not a happy man.
The French pole vaulter was the heavy favourite going into the Rio 2016 final but could not add to his London 2012 gold medal.
The world record holder was second behind Brazil’s Thiago Braz Da Silva, who won with an Olympic record of 6.03 metres. Lavillenie’s best ever clearance is 6.16 but 6.03 proved too much for him in the white-hot heat of Rio, and in front of a baying home crowd.
Thiago Braz da Silva: #Gold medal, Olympic record in pole vault. What a badass! ?? #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/ZWXQT2q6rg
— Neal Rogers (@nealrogers) August 16, 2016
The Frenchman was booed throughout the contest, even during his run-ups, and was bitter as hell after finishing second. So much so that he compared the home crowd to the supporters that turned against black Anerican athlete Jesse Owens at Berlin 1936, held in Nazi-run Germany.
Owens famously won four gold medals at the Berlin games and, in the process, showed up Adolf Hitler’s proclamations that the Aryan race was superior, in every way, to all others.
Lavillenie was clearly incensed after what he felt to be an unfair contest but his comments were somewhat extreme.
Renaud LAVILLENIE (FRA): "In 1936 the crowd was against Jesse Owens. We've not see this since. We have to deal with it." #AT #pv #silver
— Olympic News Service (@ONS_Rio2016) August 16, 2016
Renaud LAVILLENIE (FRA): "For the Olympics it is not a good image. I did nothing to the Brazilians." #AT #pv #silver
— Olympic News Service (@ONS_Rio2016) August 16, 2016
There was a media and online backlash to the comments and, once he had a chance to calm down, Lavillenie stepped forward to apologise.
Yes, sorry for the bad comparaison I made. It was a hot reaction and I realize it was wrong. Sorry to everyone. https://t.co/rK5mmuMgqH
— Renaud LAVILLENIE OLY (@airlavillenie) August 16, 2016
Better luck next time.
On the latest episode of the GAA Hour Hurling Show Wooly and the lads reflect on a monumental weekend of action. Listen below or subscribe here on iTunes
