France’s Jimmy Gressier ran a jaw-dropping 5km race on Saturday on the Urban Trail de Lille, breaking his own European 5km record with a blistering 12:51. The performance is just two seconds off the world record held by Berihew Arigawi of Ethiopia, from his 2021 run in Barcelona.
Gressier’s win and record did not come easy though. During the final stages of the race, his competition on right behind him. Gressier unleashed a terrific effort to stave off Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune, who finished second in 12:54 to move to fifth all-time, while France’s Yann Schrub clocked 12:56 to also dip under the previous European record. All three medallists went sub-13.
Gressier improved his own personal best by six seconds from the same course last year. In that race, he became the first European to break 13 minutes. The 28-year-old also holds the European 5000m indoors record at 12:54.92, which he accomplished last February at Boston University.
In the women’s 10km, Kenyan Agnes Ngetich delivered another world-class run, winning in 28:58, which is the third-fastest performance in history. The 25-year-old passed halfway in around 14:14 before slightly fading but still secured a dominant victory. Ethiopia’s Chaltu Dida (30:02) and Hirut Meshesha (30:05) completed the podium.
An Ethiopian teenager, Marta Alemayo, at just 17, ran a world U20 best of 14:15 to win. This places her third on the all-time list. Fellow Ethiopians Hawi Abera finished second in 14:22, and Yenenesh Shimket ran 14:24 to sweep the podium. Five of the top-six finishers were Ethiopian.
ResultsMen’s 5km PlaceNameNationMark1.Jimmy GRESSIERFRA12:512.Addisu YIHUNEETH12:543.Yann SCHRUBFRA12:564.Gemechu GODANAETH13:025.Maxime CHAUMETONRSA13:066.Silas SENCHURAKEN13:087.Narve Gilje NORDÅSNOR13:108.José Carlos PINTOPOR13:139.Nibret KINDEETH13:1610.Flavien SZOTFRA13:18
Women’s 5km
PlaceNameNationMark1.Marta ALEMAYOETH14:152.Hawi ABERAETH14:223.Yenenesh SHIMKETETH14:244.Samiya HASSAN NOURDJI14:385.Mihret BERNESHETH14:436.Melak MULETAETH14:577.Konstanze KLOSTERHALFENGER15:048.Francine NIYOMUKUNZIBDI15:139.Emmaculate JEPKOSGEIKEN15:1310.India WEIRGBR15:15