Mayer, who has twice won Olympic silver medals (in 2016 and 2021), injured himself during the 110m hurdles at a meeting in Paris, causing him to collapse on the track. Despite recent improvements, the 32-year-old expressed serious concerns about his ability to compete at full strength. "If I can't fully perform over 30 metres, I won't be able to manage 100m," he stated, highlighting the severity of his partial hamstring tear.

His statement came as a blow to the athletics community and his supporters, who had been encouraged by his earlier comments about surprising progress. However, Mayer has now tempered expectations, describing his situation as a profound disappointment. "It would be pointless to participate if I'm only at 80%," he lamented, reflecting on his eight-year dream of competing in the Paris Games.

Mayer is scheduled to undergo a crucial test on Friday, which will involve a 30-metre sprint to assess his recovery. Despite the grave nature of his injury—described as a 95% tear of the semimembranosus tendon—he has been working tirelessly in a bid to make it to the starting line. "I've been putting in more effort than ever before, but it’s a very serious injury," he added.

The French athlete's quest for Olympic gold has been fraught with challenges. Last year, he was forced to withdraw from the World Championships in Budapest due to a painful Achilles tendon issue, although he managed to qualify for the European Championships in Rome just before the deadline. Now, as he faces the possibility of missing out on the Paris Olympics, Mayer has described it as "a huge miracle" if he manages to compete.

As the event approaches, the athletics world watches with bated breath, hoping for a last-minute recovery from one of its brightest stars. The competition is scheduled for Friday, 2 August, and Saturday, 3 August, at the Stade de France. This multi-discipline challenge consists of ten events: four running (100m, 400m, 110m hurdles, and 1,500m), three jumping (long jump, high jump, and pole vault), and three throwing (shot put, discus throw, and javelin throw).