Former French star Quinon commits suicide

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http://www.hindustantimes.com/French-Ol ... 34676.aspx


French Olympic hero commits suicide
Agence France-Presse
Paris, August 18, 2011

First Published: 16:32 IST(18/8/2011)
Last Updated: 16:34 IST(18/8/2011)

Former Olympic pole-vault champion Pierre Quinon has committed suicide at the age of 49, the French Athletics Federation announced on Thursday. "The news was confirmed to me by family members," said the federation's president Bernard Amsalem. Quinon's hour of golden glory came at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, a year after he broke the world record with a leap of 5.82m.
He retired in 1992 and entered the restaurant business, and had also been involved in preparations for the 2015 World Masters Athletics in Lyon.

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http://www.iaaf.org/aboutiaaf/news/newsid=61137.html


French Pole Vault ace Pierre Quinon has died

Pierre Quinon (FRA) (Getty Images)
The IAAF is deeply saddened to learn from the French Federation of the sudden death of 1984 Olympic Pole Vault champion, Pierre Quinon.

Pierre Quinon, 49, (born February 20, 1962 in Lyon, France) who died on Wednesday evening (17 August) was among the standout names of the legendary French school of pole vaulting which celebrated a golden era in the 1970s and 80s.

Pierre Quinon also set a short lived World record of 5.82m on 28 August 1983 in Cologne, Germany, an all-time bar which was bettered by one centimetre on 1 September 1983 by compatriot Thierry Vigneron. Vigneron, who in total set five World records, and Philippe Houvion (5.77m World record, 1980) were among the other luminaries of that great era of French vaulting expertise of Quinon’s day. It is a national tradition which passed to Jean Galfione, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic champion, and is continued to the present day by World medallists such as Romain Mesnil and Renaud Lavillenie.

Among the other highlights of an illustrious career, Quinon took the silver medal at the 1984 European Indoor Championships behind Vigneron.

The IAAF and the world athletics family mourns the loss of a great champion and record breaker.

IAAF

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Video starting at 2:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALs9EDHKP_0

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http://www.europe1.fr/Sport/Articles/Le ... index.html


Le perchiste Pierre Quinon s’est suicidé

Par Europe1.fr
Publié le 18 août 2011 à 13h06
Mis à jour le 18 août 2011 à 14h01


Pierre Quinon avait remporté l'or aux JO de Los Angeles, en 1984. © MAXPPP
ATHLETISME - Le champion olympique à la perche des JO de 1984 s’est donné la mort.

L’athlétisme français est en deuil. Pierre Quinon, champion olympique à la perche aux JO de Los Angeles 1984, s'est suicidé mercredi à 49 ans. L’information a été révélée jeudi matin par le site de Var Matin avant d’être confirmée par la Fédération française d'athlétisme (FFA).

La consécration en 1984

Né le 20 février 1962 à Lyon, Pierre Quinon arrive très tôt au haut niveau. En 1982, il devient champion de France du saut à la perche. Un an plus tard, il bat le record du monde de la discipline (5,82 m) au meeting de Cologne. Mais la consécration suprême interviendra en 1984. Aux Jeux olympiques de Los Angeles, le Français s’élance plus haut que tout le monde et remporte le titre olympique.

Regardez la finale du saut à la perche en 1984 :


La même année, il gagne la médaille d'argent aux Championnats d'Europe en salle. Lors de son record du monde à Cologne, Pierre Quinon est également le premier homme à tenter de franchir la barre des 6 mètres."Je n'ai jamais été un homme de records, confiera-t-il pourtant plus tard. Être seul face à une barre n'était pas marrant. Je préférais la bagarre avec les autres compétiteurs".

Jean-Claude Perrin, ancien entraîneur de Pierre Quinon, était très "ému" après avoir appris la nouvelle. "Je l'ai la chance de partager pendant cinq années intimement sa vie", a-t-il raconté au micro d'Europe 1. Et de poursuivre : "quand la vie disparaît comme ça, les titres et les records ne comptent plus. On est effrayé devant la détresse et surtout on pense à ses proches, à sa femme, à ses enfants et tous ceux qui l'aiment".

Après sa carrière, arrêtée en 1992, il s'était reconverti dans le commerce. Il possédait une rôtisserie dans la commune varoise. Récemment, il avait renoué contact avec l'athlétisme en travaillant sur le projet des Mondiaux vétérans de 2015, dont l'organisation a été attribuée à la ville de Lyon.

Le parquet de Toulon a été saisi et l'enquête pour élucider les circonstances exactes de la mort a été confiée au commissariat de police de Hyères.



Rough translation from Babelfish:

ATHLETICS - the Olympic champion with the pole of the OJ of 1984 gave himself death.

The French athletics is in mourning. Pierre Quinon, Olympic champion with the pole with the OJ of Los Angeles 1984, committed suicide Wednesday at 49 years. Information was revealed Thursday morning by the site of VAr Morning before being confirmed by the French federation of athletics (F).

Dedication in 1984

Born on February 20, 1962 in Lyon, Pierre Quinon arrives very early at the high level. In 1982, he becomes champion of France of the jump to the pole. One year later, it beats the world records of the discipline (5,82 m) to the meeting of Cologne. But the supreme dedication will intervene in 1984. With the Olympic Games of Los Angeles, the French springs higher than everyone and gains the Olympic title.

Look at the finale of the jump to the pole in 1984:


The same year, it gains the money medal to the Championships of Europe in room. At the time of his world records in Cologne, Pierre Quinon is also the first man to try to cross the bar of the 6 meters. “I was never a man of records, will however entrust he later. To be alone vis-a-vis a bar was not funny. I preferred the brawl with the other candidates”.

Jean-Claude Perrin, former trainer of Pierre Quinon, “was very moved” after having learned the news. “I have it the chance to closely share during five years his life”, it told with the microphone of Europe 1. And to continue: “when the life disappears like that, the titles and the records do not count any more. One is frightened in front of the distress and especially one thinks of his close relations, his wife, his children and all those which like it”.

After its career, stopped in 1992, he had reconverted himself into the trade. He had a grill room in the of the department of Var commune. Recently, it had joined again contact with the athletics while working on the project of the World veterans of 2015, whose organization was allotted to the town of Lyon.

The parquet floor of Toulon was seized and the investigation to elucidate the exact circumstances of death was entrusted to the police station of Hyères.

[dj]

sad...sad...sad...

my heart goes out to all his family and friends..

dj