Renaud Lavillenie (French pronunciation: [ʁə.no la.vi.lə.ni] or [ʁə.no la.vil.ni]; born 18 September 1986) is a French pole vaulter. Lavillenie won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London and the silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. In addition to his Olympic success, he has won three World Indoor Championships gold medals (record), three European Championships gold medals and four European Indoor Championships gold medals. He has also won one silver medal and four bronze medals at the World Championships.[3][4] As of 25 August 2016, he holds the French national records for the highest pole vault clearance both outdoors (6.05 m) and indoors (6.16 m). The 6.16 was the absolute world record for the pole vault for over six years, 2014–2020. He was the pole vault overall winner of the IAAF Diamond League in seven consecutive years, from 2010 to 2016.
Outside pole vaulting, Lavillenie is a keen motorcyclist, and raced in the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours for motorcycles, finishing 25th. Lavillenie subsequently entered the 2014 race, aiming for a top 20 finish.[5] Lavillenie's younger brother Valentin Lavillenie is also a pole vaulter.
- ^ a b "Décryptage d'une progression" (in French). L'Équipe. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Renaud Lavillenie sets pole vault world record of 6.16m in Donetsk". iaaf.org. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ Renaud Lavillenie at World Athletics
- ^ "Lavillenie's 6.03m clearance dazzles Paris". International Association of Athletics Federations. 5 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
- ^ "Lavillenie aux 24 heures du Mans: "Pourquoi pas un Top 20"" [Lavillenie at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: "Why not a Top 20"]. La Croix (in French). 27 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
