This is an anomaly that Jimmy Gressier (25) would like to fix. Since its creation in 1993, the Paris half-marathon – which has become over the years and sponsors the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris – has never seen a Frenchman raise his arms in the men’s race, i.e. 29 scarcity editions (not racing in 2020).
“Unless you catch a virus at the last moment, everything is fine, the form is goodhe warns. Tomorrow’s objective is the place, especially on this course in Paris which is not reputed to be the fastest. »
In a winter when he wanted ” to have fun “, by chaining road races that consume less energy than indoors, and by skipping the Euro cross race he adores, Gressier is where he wanted to be with an ascending form and the desire to do battle, while he will conclude its winter next week on the long cross of the French Cross Championships in Carhaix (Finistère) where the party promises to be total.
But for now, he has an appointment with the streets of Paris and the 43,000 competitors announced, a handful of which should worry him, notably the Kenyans Roncer Kipkorir and Josphat Chumo, as well as the French international Hassan Chahdi.