French athletes Renaud Lavillenie looks ahead to the Track and Field programme commencing at the Rio Olympic Games on Wednesday (10th August).

SOUNDBITE: (French) Renaud Lavillenie, France, Pole Vaulter: (Q: What does it change now for you to be the spearhead of the French track and field team? Is there much more pressure?)

"It was more complicated four years ago. I had to win and I did not know what this competition was. Now, I'm lucky to be the defending champion, so it's a big bonus to come here in these conditions and to try to get another medal. And about being the spearhead of the French team, I'm not the only one, we all have our skills, we all can motivate eachother. I personally get a lot of motivation watching the performances of my teammates. So it's not going to change anything when I will be on the field."

SOUNDBITE: (French) Renaud Lavillenie, France, Pole Vaulter:(Q: You're coming here as an Olympic champion and Word record holder indoors. It seems like you're not the same man compared to London?)

"I have improved myself a lot from London 2012, for sure. But in this discipline it always can be unpredictable, there are always some new things to handle, I had this experience last month during the European Championship. So I've been unlucky and lucky to have this experience before Olympic Games. Nothing is predictable and we have to struggle to get what we want to the end. We saw four years ago that until the very last try, nothing was played or nothing was lost. So I must keep that in mind."