14th October 2012 01:05
The new track season appears to have started early for French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre who turned up at Vénissieux this weekend to compete in the relays for his club Aix-les-Bains.
Bored with sitting at home, the double European 100m champion, called a halt to time off and decided to don his spikes.
He also spoke to the French sports newspaper, L'Equipe, while he was there and despite reports to the contrary, confirmed that he is still considering whether to compete in the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Göteborg this coming winter: 'I still haven't ruled out competing [in the 60m] in Göteborg,' said Lemaitre.
'We'll see what kind of shape I am in after the French indoor championships.' Those championships take place February 16 – 17 in Aubière.
It is a month since Lemaitre enjoyed his final race of the Olympic season in Rieti where he signed off with victory in 10.04. At the Olympic Games in London, the Frenchman finished a disappointing sixth in the 200m and formed part of the quartet which was just out of the medals in fourth in the sprint relay.
He was at Vénissieux near Lyon for the French Clubs Cup in relays and field events, 'just for fun,' he said. 'I started training again at the end of September because I was getting bored at home, just killing time. So far it has been easy. The real thing kicks off on Monday,' he said.' He will compete in both the 4x100m and 4x200m at Vénissieux. This has been a regular date for Lemaitre in the past, an occasion which he describes as 'always pleasant.'
Last year, Lemaitre swooped to a personal best 9.92 at his national championships, before picking up world 200m bronze in a sparkling 19.80. This year in comparison, his best times have been 10.04 and 19.91.
'I am a little disappointed with my season because I did not get a medal at the Games and that was my aim,' said Lemaitre. 'The positives were the French title and European title. But taken all in all there are more disappointments than positives.'
Together with coach Pierre Carraz, the man from Haute-Savoie concentrated only on the 200m in London but next summer at the world championships in Moscow he is looking forward to competing in both sprints since there is a four-day rest between the two events.
Another difference with this year is that Lemaitre has interrupted his IT studies and approaches next season as a full-time athlete.