Jimmy Gressier rules Europe: a golden victory in the half marathon at the European Running Championships

He announced it and he delivered. On the eve of the race, Jimmy Gressier, the French athlete from the North of France, made no secret of his intentions: he came to Brussels to expand his medal collection. Gone are the days of pursuing solo records; Gressier was after medals. And he didn’t waver. As the favorite of the half marathon at the European Running Championships, Gressier lived up to his status with his usual flair. The result: a continental title won with authority, a solid timing (59’45”), and a great team story, as France also leaves with the gold in the team event.

| A race in true Jimmy Gressier style: aggressive, sharp, dominant

Right from the start, the tone was set. No time for observation, no pacing strategies: Jimmy Gressier started strong, as is his trademark. Just one kilometer covered in 2 minutes and 45 seconds, and the pack was already breaking up under the powerful stride of the Frenchman. Only three runners managed to keep pace: Norwegian Awet Nftalem Kibrab, Irishman Efrem Gidey, and Valentin Gondouin, Jimmy’s training partner. But the separation was swift.

By the second kilometer, Valentin Gondouin sensed the pace was too fast and decided to ease off, leaving the other two to try and hold on. On a challenging course (56m of positive elevation), the first difficulty came at the 3rd km with a 400m climb that forced the leading group to slow down. By the 5th kilometer, Efrem Gidey fell behind and realized he wouldn’t be able to compete with the Frenchman today. Awet Nftalem Kibrab held on a bit longer but eventually cracked in the eighth kilometer. In the lead, Jimmy remained unshaken. He was enjoying himself immensely, taking advantage of a city passage to engage with the crowd. Consistent as ever (13’52” for the first 5 km, 13’58” for the next), he was already creating a gap that eliminated any suspense.

Julian Wanders’ European record (59’13”)? Gressier was on track to beat it, but today was not the day. Despite good weather, the course was too demanding with several hills in the final three kilometers. The athlete from Boulogne-Sur-Mer AC managed to cross the finish line in 59’45” (2’50″/km), a second faster than his personal record. And true to form, Jimmy finished with style: leaping over the finish line tape, a smile on his face. The Frenchman is the European half marathon champion!

| Valentin Gondouin claims bronze: France wins team gold

Beyond Jimmy Gressier’s individual triumph, it was a collective success for the French team. Valentin Gondouin, after starting behind the leader, maintained his composure. In a heroic final sprint, he secured a splendid bronze medal with a time of 1h01’54” (2’56″/km), beating Irishman Efrem Gidey by just one second. This marks his first continental medal in his career, confirming his growing prowess on the road.

As for Bastien Augusto and Raphaël Montoya, they finished 15th and 16th respectively, with times of 1h02’58” and 1h03’16”. These times, combined with those of their teammates, earned France the European team championship title. A high-level collective performance highlighting the strong momentum of French middle-distance running.

In the women’s race, Belgian Chloé Herbiet was crowned European champion with a time of 1h10’43”. French runner Mélanie Allier finished in an impressive 12th place (1h13’05”).

|  Focus on the World Championships for Gressier, and the future for the French team

This European title marks a significant milestone in Jimmy Gressier’s career. At 27 years old, the European record holder for the 5 km on the road seems to have found his balance between chasing records and earning medals. As he said: “Records can be broken. Medals, they stay.” And this one, he will carefully add to his collection, which he plans to expand in the coming months and years.

Next stop? The World Championships, where Jimmy aims for another podium finish. To prepare, he plans to include a training cycle focused on the 3,000m steeplechase, a distance where his speed and endurance skills can shine. But first, it’s time to celebrate with his teammates and recover. This Sunday, the French team will aim for more podiums with the 10 km and marathon on the schedule. After this explosive start, the French team has sent a clear message: they came to excel, and the half marathon was just the beginning.

| The show continues tomorrow with the 10 km (9:30 am) and the marathon (10:15 am).

✔  All Men’s Half Marathon results
✔  All Women’s Half Marathon results