Happio’s coach expects ‘no crazy performance’ in Doha

Olivier Vallaeys, trainer of European vice-champion in the 400m hurdles Wilfried Happio, is not waiting “no crazy performancefrom his protege for his return on Friday at the Doha Diamond League meeting. Happio (24), revealed at international level in 2022 with European silver and fourth place in the world in the 400m hurdles, is the only French athlete involved in the first major meeting of the season.

“He’s ready to run eight hurdles (out of ten), pictured Vallaeys for AFP on Thursday. We do not expect a performance of madness.Returning from a two-week course in Mallorca, Happio finds in Qatar the American Olympic vice-champion and vice-world champion Rai Benjamin, already winner of a race in 47 sec 74 in April, a cl*** time. world.

“There has been no development and no prosecution to date”

The objective of the year for the Frenchman? “The final of the Budapest Worlds on August 23. He must stabilize what he achieved last year in view of the Paris Olympics in 2024. He must progress in speed, with strength work, to increase his ability to go quickly over the first 200 meters, it is the key to great races“, adds his trainer.

After Doha, Happio will defend the jersey of Lille Métropole athletics at the interclub championships on May 20, before competing in meetings in Hengelo (Netherlands, June 4), Paris (June 9) and Oslo (June 15). On June 11, he should participate in a 4×400 m relay in Annecy with the collective of the France team. The hurdler has been targeted since June 2022 by a complaint for sexual ***ault, an athlete denouncing facts which allegedly took place in 2021. Happio, who “disputethe charges, was heard in police custody in December 2022.”There have been no developments and no prosecutions to date“, his lawyer told AFP on Thursday.