WRITTEN FOR THE IAAF WEBSITE
The pressure of performing in the intense heat of a major championship cauldron can either make or break an athlete – and if the aura of calm generating from Kevin Mayer is anything to go by, then the multi-events star is poised for a golden weekend ahead.
The 26-year-old Frenchman, who is aiming to add the IAAF World indoor crown to his global outdoor title from London last summer, insists that – despite his rising star status – focusing on purely having fun in fact plays a pivotal role in his continuing success.
The Olympic silver medalist revealed:
“Being tagged as the favourite, I felt the pressure the most in London and then I realised that the key is to just have fun and enjoy every single discipline, so now I don’t think about the pressure at all.
“I think to perform well, I have to perform like I did as a youth athlete – just to go in and enjoy it, to make the most of it.”
Evidently not a fan of being touted as the ‘one to watch’, Mayer has such a great level of respect for his rivals that his modesty is refreshing. He continued:
“Everyone bills me as the favourite at the moment but that’s not competition for me – if we knew in advance who was going to win, there would be no competition so I don’t consider myself the favourite and will never think of myself as having won an event before a competition. I just let people talk and I assume when we are all on the startline, that we are all on the same level.
“I know I’ve worked really hard to become a world champion – it’s normal people expect more of me now and I am a perfectionist, I expect only the very best from myself – it’s just not added pressure because I think it too but in a relaxed way.”
Coming into his debut world indoor championship event off the back of two fine lifetime bests in the 60m hurdles (7.79) and the pole vault (5.60m), Mayer will face four other men who placed in the top seven positions in the British capital last year and he views Canada’s 2015 world outdoor silver medalist, Damien Warner as his main threat for the glory:
“I have very good competition in Damien Warner – he has an Ashton Eaton-type profile so I think he can do a great heptathlon,” explained Mayer in comparison to his now-retired athletics idol, two-time Olympic and five-time world champion, Ashton Eaton of the USA.
“Indoors, I feel I am equally strong in every event but I’m stronger in the decathlon so I think Warner will be very hard to beat indoors – he is very strong on the first day so I’m glad the pole vault comes in as the second to last event because I can get a lot of points on him there.
“It’s going to be interesting to see him ahead of the game in the first few events and then me catching him up – he is a bit of a mystery in the heptathlon, only doing one before, so it’s going to be fun.
“When I saw he was on the start list, I felt something in my stomach – it’s a good feeling, it’s going to be interesting. I was very disappointed when Ashton said he was retiring and similarly, I won’t make it easy for Damien.”
Immediately escorted to anti-doping control on his late arrival into Birmingham on Wednesday before he could go to dinner, Mayer has managed to steer clear of injury for over a year and despite a recent brief illness, he insists his form and confidence levels are in good shape:
“Some people say I have peaked too early but I have not prepared specifically for this weekend and I am improving and competing well, so I hope it will work out for the best,” he ensured.
Reflecting on past successes such as his superb Olympic debut eighteen months ago in Rio, Mayer said:
“Rio was the most exciting decathlon in my life – I felt I could improve in each event so it was special and it was euphoric competing against the best ever (Eaton) – that was amazing – losing to Ashton was better than winning (in London).
“He was very special and I still feel his spirit – he’s been a great example for me. I can not beat him now but I hope one day that I can train and train and train to beat his world records (6645 heptathlon and 9045 decathlon).”
Looking ahead, the 2017 European indoor champion is so eager to ensure he adds the continental outdoor title to his resume that his entire winter preparation has been tailed towards the Berlin championship in August, rather than here:
“The main objective this season is Berlin so I’ll compete in a few decathlons in the lead up to it but not necessarily finish them, just to see how I feel,” Mayer revealed.
“I want to take the European title but it will be tough – there is more pressure for outdoors. The world indoor title and the score is not as important, I do this just for pleasure and I don’t think about numbers, I just want to be great on the track.”
The European indoor heptathlon record holder (with a 6479 score) spoke of how busy his life is now since becoming a world champion, juggling the training for ten events together with media and sponsor commitments – and so full is his schedule, he rejects the suggestion of attempting an ‘Eaton al-la 2014 event switch’ (in Eaton’s case – to the 400m hurdles for one season and to great success):
“It’s a little dream but for now, it’s impossible. I believe I’m not yet strong enough to compete in an individual event – maybe one day but I’ll never forget the combined events,” he declared.
“Maybe sometime I’ll do the decathlon and then the pole vault afterwards for fun, but I have to be realistic in my aspirations so I have no interest in doing that yet.”
Oozing a balanced mix of confidence and modesty, the affable Mayer will undoubtedly showcase of series of excellence during the climax to the winter season, but he can not deny nor hide his excitement for the summer:
“I like creating surprises but it’s getting harder as I’m getting better, people tend to forget how hard training is,” he exclaimed.
“I will love representing my country this weekend but I prefer outdoors – the heptathlon is easy because there’s no 400m and 1500m. I definitely prefer the decathlon – it is more painful.”
