News22 Mar 2017


Lavillenie to lead Turku pole vault field

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Renaud Lavillenie in the pole vault at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Stockholm (© Hasse Sjogren)

World pole vault record-holder Renaud Lavillenie is the first headliner announced for the Paavo Nurmi Games, an IAAF World Challenge Meeting, in Turku, Finland on 13 June.

”Renaud is a living legend when it comes to track and field," said meeting director Jari Salonen. "We are truly honoured and excited to have him in Turku."

The meeting will mark the Frenchman's first appearance in Finland since the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki.

Injury cut short Lavillenie's indoor season after just two competitions but those difficulties are now reportedly behind him. According to his management, Lavillenie is in good form and preparing at full speed for the upcoming season and his quest for a first world outdoor title as the IAAF World Championships London 2017 approach.

Lavillenie, the world record-holder at 6.16m since 2014, captured the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and followed up with silver in Rio de Janeiro last year. In addition to his Olympic accolades, he has won two world indoor titles, three European titles outdoors and four continental crowns indoors. He has also collected a silver medal and two bronze at the IAAF World Championships and is the only athlete to have won his event's overall title in each of the IAAF Diamond League's seven years of existence.

Organisers for the IAAF

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