Did You Know Kevin Mayer
Frenchman Kevin Mayer hit new heights in the decathlon this year. Next he'll be reaching for the stars.
1. I’m an amateur astronomer
“Since I watched the movie Interstellar I have been interested in the night sky. I wanted to understand what happened in the sky. I was curious. I have a telescope at home and I have also read some books that explain what happens in the sky.
“The most interesting thing for me is the black hole. It is so weird. I like it. If I could be a planet in the solar system I would definitely be Earth while Ashton Eaton would be Mars because he is out of this world!”
2. I’m a casual pianist
“I have many different things I am interested in away from the track and as a nice distraction from the demands of training, just before the London Olympic Games, I started to learn how to play the piano. I started to play and learn by myself.
“I have a piano in my apartment and I still play sometimes. I am not terribly serious about it and I just do it for pleasure, so I am not so sure I will devote more time to it after I quit athletics.”
3. I’m a huge fan of Stephen Curry
“I love many sports including handball, volleyball and rugby, but I am also a huge fan of the NBA and I love to watch Stephen Curry play. The Golden State Warriors guard has re-written the record books in recent times with his amazing ability to shoot three pointers.
“He plays like a God. He appears to play on pure instinct and my favourite memory of him was watching him score a record breaking 13 three pointers in one game recently against the New Orleans Pelicans.
“I’m unsure whether Steph would make a good decathlete, but I think as a basketball player with a good leap, he would be good high jumper. As for me, I never really played basketball seriously. I play with my friends sometimes, but I am not really a good player [SPIKES would like to put this to the test].”
