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Jimmy Vicaut claimed the 60m title at the French National Championships. ©EAA - European Athletics
European Athletics (EAA) – News – Vicaut takes the title as Lemaitre is left disappointed
Jimmy Vicaut is the fast man of Europe this winter, as he proved once again in the French National Championships in Aubiere.
But in his blitz of speed over 60m in 6.53, a surprise outcome in the split-second finishes of those behind him is likely to mean that Christophe Lemaitre will not be at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg.
Lemaitre has won this indoor national title on three occasions but a season troubled by injury and not finding his best form saw him cross the line in third in 6.69 as Emmanuel Biron was second in 6.63.
Vicaut equalled his personal best from the time he ran in Mondeville at the start of the month which shares the honour of being the quickest in Europe this year with Italian Michael Tumi.
Biron's run makes his second fastest Frenchman of the winter with Lemaitre, the triple European 100m champion and 60m indoor bronze medallist in Paris in 2011, realistic about how these past few weeks have gone.
Speaking to lemondre.fr, he said: "I did as usual from the beginning of the season, now I am unable to run at my best.
"I'm obviously disappointed, despite the lack of preparation and physical problems."
Lemaitre had run 6.64 in Gent a week ago but with a personal best of 6.55, he is now set to concentrate his plans on the summer.
Eye-catching sprinting was very much the order of the day in this venue in central France.
Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and Dimitri Bascou moved to second and third respectively on the European rankings with prolific performances in the 60m hurdles.
Martinot-Lagarde won in 7.53, equalling his personal best, with Dimitri Bascou second in 7.56. Only Russian Sergey Shubenkov has run quicker in 2013 with 7.50.
It was not only the men who recorded fast times as in the women's 200m, Johanna Danois won in a European leading mark of 22.81.
Eloyse Lesueur won long jump gold with 6.81m at the European Athletics Championships in Helsinki last summer and she warmed up for Göteborg with victory here in 6.63m.
Harold Correa was first in the triple jump with 16.94m, beating Karl Taillepierre with 16.83m and Benjamin Compaore with 16.65m while the women's 60m hurdles was close, as Reina-Flor Okori took the title in 8.03, narrowly ahead of Alice Decaux in 8.04 and Cindy Billaud in 8.07.
Melanie Melfort won the high jump with 1.93m and there was a personal best 400m run from Marie Gayot who won 52.64.
European Athletics (EAA) – News
