Focus on Lemaitre in Helsinki

HELSINKI (AFP) –

French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre poses during a press conference at Helsinki’s city hall on the eve of the European Athletics Championships 2012 start.

Christophe Lemaitre, seen as Europe’s biggest hope of breaking Jamaican and US sprinting dominance at this summer’s Olympics, will continue his training for the London Games at the European Championships starting here on Wednesday.

It was during the 2010 continental edition in Barcelona that the 22-year-old French athlete sprinted into the limelight and he admitted that expectations are far higher as he comes into the 2012 championships.

“I’ve moved out of the shadows into the light,” he said of his profile since winning a surprise three gold medals in Barcelona two years ago over 100m, 200m and 4x100m.

“If you compare things with two years ago, it’s totally different. Three gold medals was unimaginable when I started.”

Lemaitre added that, despite his main focus being the Olympics, he was determined to defend two of his titles in the Finnish capital.

He said: “Even if my main focus is the Olympic Games, the European Championships are not to be ignored. I’m not counting on leaving Helsinki without a gold medal. I’m going to defend my 100m and 4x100m titles, but I’m not running the 200m.

“We didn’t want to do the triple and have to run every day. I also remember that I finished Barcelona washed out.”

Lemaitre said that he has still not decided whether to attempt the sprint double — 100m and 200m — in London.

“It will be partly here that I decide but above all after the meet in London (July 13-14) that we’re going to make a decision,” he went on.

“There will be the US trials and the Jamaican trials (on the same weekend). Some big heads could fall and that could open doors.

“There’s no doubt that, over the 100m, since the beginning of the year, its been very fast with a lot of guys going under 10 seconds and even 9.90.

“That could make for a great final at the Olympic Games. Beyond that, over 200m, it’s a little less true.”