Valentin Lavillenie  Valentin Lavillenie ( or ; born 16 July 1991 in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire) is a French athlete specialising in the pole vault. He won the gold medal at the 2013 Jeux de la Francophonie. Lavillenie was born in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire. He is the younger brother of another pole vaulter, one-time world record holder Renaud Lavillenie. He has personal bests of 5.82 metres outdoors at Monaco Diamond League (2019) and 5.80 metres indoors at Nevers (2015).