France’s Jimmy Gressier Stuns Field to Win Men’s 10,000m at World Championships in Tokyo
Tokyo, The Gulf Observer: France’s Jimmy Gressier produced a sensational upset on Sunday, winning the men’s 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, denying Ethiopia’s powerful trio and securing his first global title.
With three-time world champion Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda absent, anticipation was high for an Ethiopian victory. Berihu Aregawi, Yomif Kejelcha, and Olympic champion Selemon Barega entered as the favorites, but Gressier’s explosive sprint on the home straight overturned expectations after 25 grueling laps in humid conditions at the National Stadium.
Gressier clocked 28 minutes 55.77 seconds, narrowly edging Kejelcha, who settled for silver just 0.07 seconds behind. Sweden’s Andreas Almgren claimed bronze in 28:56.02.
The victory marked the first European triumph in the 10,000m since British legend Mo Farah in 2017, who also captured world titles in 2013 and 2015. Italy’s Alberto Cova won the inaugural edition of the event in 1983.
Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat set an early aggressive pace, only for the pack to regroup midway as American Grant Fisher briefly took control. Almgren surged with four laps remaining, prompting the Ethiopians to position themselves for a decisive move.
At the bell, Barega, Aregawi, and Kejelcha appeared poised to dominate. Yet, in a dramatic final sprint, Gressier burst forward from the outside, overtaking the field in the last meters for a remarkable victory that left him visibly emotional.
The Frenchman’s triumph not only halted Ethiopia’s dominance but also signaled the arrival of a new force in long-distance running on the world stage.
