RECORD D’EUROPE. JIMMY GRESSIER, THE STORY GOES ON.
DOMINATION IN LILLE.
When the 10,000m World Champion steps out on the home nation tarmac, there’s only one answer when you’re asked who’s gonna be ripping that ribbon at the finish line. 10K or 5K it don’t matter, when you hear the name Jimmy Gressier, you now hear European Champion, by winning the Urban Trail de Lille 5K in 12:51, Gressier smoked his own previous European record and fell short of the WR by just 2 seconds; leaving the story unfinished. Unfinished, yet inevitable. No runner with this much steez, even Frank Ocean can respect the drip when this white Ferrari puts his own Godspeed on the tarmac to take home the W. Race of the year is no understatement when the top 3 finishers all ran under the old European record time, but Gressier in a league of his own. The pack of 3 raced together before the Frenchman pulled away in the final kilometre, 2nd and 3rd working together, but no match for the lightning in front, who clocked a 2:26 final km to pull a decisive lead and leave the others in the dust. The Lille streets haven’t seen this much flair since Eden Hazard rose from the academy, but the streets really won’t forget when this white ghost carried out his Call of Duty. This guy might be the real life Barry Allen because the speed of each km split was too fast for any camera flash to catch him by…
1km @ 2:33
2km @ 2:39
3km @ 2:38
4km @ 2:35
5km @ 2:26
When you deep Gressier will inevitably run a full kilometre in the same time it takes you to brush your teeth, it’s impossible to comprehend the speed at which this guy moves. With the World Championships coming in September, I’d say place your bets because a World Record is about to be broken. Jimmy Gressier, welcome to the party.
GRESSIER ON A GRIND.
Knucks will tell you No Days Off but this training regime will standout with cautionary tales of grit, motivation and an unyielding desire to be the fastest man in the world. He said he felt untouchable after becoming the 10k world champ last year, but the emotional comedown that came with the title was something very hard to deal with. He explained about an unhealthy Christmas period, cancelling races and dealing with stress before a switch this year, we haven’t seen a comeback this personal since Steph faced off with Wemby to go toe-to-toe on home turf in Paris. A man born in the lab, one with this much determination to improve is destined for greatness and when there’s nothing left unclaimed you can truly say you’ve done everything in your power to be a better version of yourself.
WHEN WILL THE STORY END?
People will now be looking to the World Championships in September. When he won the 10,000m last year he made a comment that he’s joined the likes of Zinedine Zidane as French World Champions but wait for this year’s 5,000m because if he wins the double, none of the Les Blues will have walked the same path as Jimmy Gressier. The running leagues haven’t seen anyone with this much suave over a finish line, with celebrations like Mbappe knee sliding, or Sesko jumping over the finishing ribbon, Gressier is a showman who is about to show why he is the best middle-distance runner of all time. The French are going to be shouting another “Allez Les Blues” when the greatest French athlete takes home another gold and another record.
“I race to be brave. I don’t want to leave a track thinking I played it safe.” Jimmy Gressier,
NOTHING LEFT UNCLAIMED.
