Mael-Bephassou Lannurien at the pre-event press conference for the WU20 Oregon 26 (© World Athletics 
Christel Saneh)
When Mael-Bephassou Lannurien was a young boy, he watched Jamaican sprint great Usain Bolt flash across his TV screen with long strides and a joyful charisma.
Craving the energy that Bolt so famously exuded, Lannurien ran all around the house, so much so that his parents pushed him to run at a club to get his energy out. Upon arriving at the track, Lannurien found his best friends, competitions he excelled at, and most importantly, all the fun he could ever need.
“I have the best time at the track and I think athletics is just the best sport. That's why I've stuck with it,” said Lannurien, speaking through an interpreter during the pre-event press conference for the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26.
Pulling on his various spikes, the rising French decathlete has pursued athletics over other sports from his childhood such as gymnastics, swimming, table tennis and basketball. His great love for athletics led him to try every discipline he could.
“I started the decathlon just because I was so good at everything that I was doing, and I didn't want to choose just one,” he said.
Although his focus is spread, Lannurien has a passion for the hurdles, where his 6ft 3in frame gives him a natural advantage clearing the barriers. This pushed him to compete and win the 60m hurdles at the French U20 Indoor Championships earlier this year in 7.62.
The ability to finish first among specialists while simultaneously focusing on other events is a blessing that Lannurien relishes.
In Eugene, the 18-year-old had the opportunity to meet USA’s two-time Olympic decathlon champion and former University of Oregon student-athlete Ashton Eaton.
When asked about the pressure he might feel competing in front of such a decorated athlete, Lannurien responded humbly: “I don't know if Ashton will be looking at me or everyone else, but just knowing that he's going to be in the stands is an awesome and incredible thing, and I am going to make sure I enjoy this opportunity.”
Mael-Bephassou Lannurien with Ashton Eaton in Oregon (© World Athletics)
Despite Lannurien always having fun on the track, his mentality is clearly focused on learning and perfecting every little detail rigorously.
“You always have to want to learn, because if you don't want to learn, that's where you are going to stutter,” he said. “You will never progress, and you're never going to improve in life.”
At the French U20 Combined Events Championships, Lannurien faced a learning experience that all young track and field athletes may dread. In the call room before the decathlon 100m, he fell asleep while battling the fatigue the extreme heat was exerting on his body. As a result, he clocked 11.34, compared to his PB of 10.88 set earlier in the season.
For the rest of the weekend, Lannurien focused on the smallest details, making sure he was taking care of his body in order to always improve and progress. Despite the 100m setback, Lannurien still found himself top of the podium when the weekend concluded, winning by more than 200 points.
Heading into the competition in Oregon on Friday and Saturday (7-8), Lannurien doesn't have one clear goal. Although he is conscious of being listed second on the entry list with the PB of 7785 set in Montpellier in May and his opportunity to return home with a medal, his main objective – as always – is to go out there, have fun, and enjoy the moment.
“I know that if I do have fun when I'm competing, then a good performance is bound to happen, so I am trusting the process,” he said.
Above all, Lannurien is the perfect example of what can happen when physical talent combines with the dedication and drive that only love can create.
“I know that waking up in the morning, if I do this thing, the love of my life, I am going to have fun,” he said when asked what makes him get up every day and continue training.
“I go to the track to have the fun I want to have, and I know I'm going to meet my friends and have a good time.”
Success on the track is crucial, but Lannurien is chasing more: the joy and happiness that Usain Bolt showcased to him years ago.
Colin Ernst for the World Athletics Media Academy
