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Olympic champ Lavillenie switches coach

Friday, 28 September 2012 22:05 Posted by Muhammad Iqbal

CLERMONT-FERRAND: Newly-crowned Olympic pole vault champion Renaud Lavillenie of France has dropped coach Damien Inocencio to work with former international pole vaulter Philippe D'Encausse.

"I can only confirm his decision. But the reasons given are so childish that they can't justify his decision," Inocencio, who had coached 25-year-old Lavillenie for four years, told AFP.

"Between us it isn't a problem over money, because I ask nothing of him, nor a problem with performances," he added.

D'Encausse confirmed on French television: "Renaud asked me if I could take care of him on the sporting front for the coming years ... I accepted because it's an honour to be asked by an Olympic champion."

D'Encausse, 45, competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Games.

Lavillenie claimed his first global outdoor title in London last month with a new Olympic record of 5.97m.

Bing translation of Renaud's Facebook post today:

Renaud LAVILLENIE: 'I will open a new page and I changed coaches' the year 2012 has been my most beautiful sports season. We did everything to make this a success. It was arduous, intense and both wonderful.

What I am most proud, beyond the Olympic title, is the regularity of which I knew to be on all major appointments.

This exceptional year, I the have in large part to all who surround me, and especially to Damien Inocencio, my coach.

Damien is at my side for four years now, and yet, a few days to resume training, I decided that our collaboration should be completed.

This decision was hard to take and it is the result of a long reflection. Damien is a person for whom I have great respect and that allowed me to be what I am today.

I am not giving our work involved but I need now me open to new challenges, to question my choices and my journey. An athlete's career is short, it is made of levels and risk-taking. Just like four years ago when I left Georges Martin, it is a way for me to find a form of equilibrium, of projecting my journey of athlete and consider my future successes.

I want to build something else, work differently. I am an instinctive, and today I have a clear vision of what I want. I have always more ambitious projects and this new Olympiad that opens is a major objective.

For all these reasons, I chose to stay in my city of Clermont-Ferrand and ask Philippe d'Encausse to be my coach. We will start our collaboration in the coming days.

Choice that moves in continuity and which will bring different methods to achieve a same thing: continue to stay to the best of my current level.

Even if our paths separate, I will have an eye to the future projects of Damien, I know that he still has much to offer French pole vaulter.

Renaud

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?
This was a little confusing to me that he would change... But I then thought a bit about how it could greatly benefit him... Different opinions, a fresh start, and possibly a whole new regimen that may shape into a new world record holder... I don't have a solid opinion about this... I do know that with his speed and power I don't think a few changes are going to hurt him very much at all... If anything maybe this will give him an even greater spark and set him off to work even harder to secure his spot as a legend in this sport... Someone else weigh in... I have been following Renaud since I saw that video of him at the armory back three years ago, his speed almost scared me... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

http://www.european-athletics.org/news/ ... izons.html


Lavillenie opens his horizons | 30.09.2012

After crowning his career with pole vault Olympic gold, Renaud Lavillenie has decided to switch coaches. Since 2008 he has been coached by Damien Inocencio, but last week announced that in future he would be guided by former vaulter, Phillipe D'Encausse who cleared 5.75 in 1993. Despite the change of coach there will not be a change of city. Both coaches work in Clermont Ferrand.

"It has been a difficult decision to take," confessed Lavillenie in a statement. "And I took a long time to come to it. I have a lot of respect for Damien. He has made me what I am today. I cannot complain about our work together, but I need to open myself up to new challenges, to question my choices and my career. An athlete's life is short and full of plateaux and risk taking."

Interviewed on local French radio, D'Encausse said: "Renaud asked me if I could take care of him for the coming years and after thinking it about it I decided it would be an honour to be asked by an Olympic champion. If a football manager is asked to manage Real Madrid and he does not go he might as well find another career."

Inocencio called Lavillenie's decision: "irrational. He told me when he got back from holidays on Wednesday. He has done the grand slam this year and he has the world record in his legs. I find it sad."

Lavillenie, who has just turned 26, has enjoyed a dream year. After the world indoor title in the winter, he lifted his second European gold in Helsinki at the start of the summer (he has also won two European indoor golds) before going on to lift the Olympic title and culminating his year with the Golden League title. The only title missing from his role call is the world crown. So far he has two world bronzes from Berlin and Daegu. In 2013, he will have his third chance when the world championships are held in Moscow. Lavillenie holds both indoor and outdoor national records. His superior indoor mark of 6.03 (6.01 outdoor) was set at the 2011 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Paris.

"It is a hard decision which might surprise people," added Lavillenie in a column in L'Equipe on Saturday. "But I took it because I feel I needed a change. I sensed that it was the right moment." Lavillenie then hinted at discord between himself and his now former coach: "I have great respect for our work, but such a relationship is purely on a sporting level. It is a disagreement at a personal level."

According to french newspaper L'équipe, Damien Inocencio will be the trainer of Angelica Bengtsson, junior world champion

from
http://www.lequipe.fr/Athletisme/Actual ... lou/318950

"Damien Inocencio a trouvé un nouveau challenge avec l'arrivée de la prodige suédoise de la perche, Angelica Bengtsson, 19 ans, 1,63 m et double championne du monde junior."