The world pole vault champion misses the world championships in Eugene.
American Sam Kendricks has yet to recover from a knee injury in May.
“We thought he’d come back faster, but he’s had some setbacks and feels like he can’t fight for the medals,” Paul Doyle, his agent, told NBC.
Sam Kendricks won an exciting match against Mundo Duplantes at the last World Cup in Doha.
Both stayed at 5.97, but two demos of 5.92 cost Mundo gold at the World Cup.
The victory in Doha meant Kendricks had a wild card for the World Cup in Eugene as world champion.
But since 2019, its development and Mondo have gone in different directions.
“I don’t see it as a threat.”
Yes, as Kendricks has been lately, I didn’t see him as much of a threat to Mondo. Regardless, says Swedish club manager Daniel Weisfeldt.
Kendrix only competed in three competitions in 2022.
Attended a special Mundo concert in Uppsala where he stayed at 5.70 and then jumped 5.71 at a party in Düsseldorf.
The only outdoor competition came on April 8, when it was 5.61.
On May 2, he had meniscus surgery in one knee, but he hasn’t come back since.
He was going to jump in both the Oslo Diamond League and the Bauhaus Gala in Stockholm, but he canceled the concert in Oslo and flew straight to the USA.
Yes, as Kendricks has been lately, I didn’t see him as much of a threat to Mondo. Regardless, says Swedish club manager Daniel Weisfeldt.
Kendrix only competed in three competitions in 2022.
Attended a special Mundo concert in Uppsala where he stayed at 5.70 and then jumped 5.71 at a party in Düsseldorf.
The only outdoor competition came on April 8, when it was 5.61.
On May 2, he had meniscus surgery in one knee, but he hasn’t come back since.
He was going to jump in both the Oslo Diamond League and the Bauhaus Gala in Stockholm, but he canceled the concert in Oslo and flew straight to the USA.
He had major injury problems
Kendrix hasn’t been the same since he was forced into quarantine before the qualifying pole vault match at the Tokyo Olympics.
He had to sit locked up in a hotel room and watch Mundo jump home with the gold medal.
Kendricks holds the American record 6.06, but that’s three years ago.
He couldn’t manage six meters in nearly two years.
At the press conference in Oslo, he described today’s competition with Mundo.
– I have no chance against this guy who’s jumping right now. I can just watch and enjoy his jump like everyone else, he told me and nodded in the direction of the Swede.
Another detail in this context is that Sam Kendricks has not yet been vaccinated against Corona, a requirement from the International Association of Athletics Federations to allow him to compete in the World Cup.
So the question is whether he’s allowed to start even if he’s healthy.
The biggest threat to Mundo today is 24-year-old American Chris Nielsen who jumped 6.05 this year.
If it is now possible to talk about threats even in his case.