France’s Jimmy Gressier smashed his European 5km record in Lille on Sunday (16).
Gressier previously had joint ownership of the European record alongside Dominic Lobalu with 13:12 but the 27-year-old took that mark into uncharted territory, becoming the first European to break the 13 minute-barrier on the roads with 12:57 to move to fifth on the world all-time list.
Gressier was pushed all the way by Uruguay’s Santiago Catrofe who finished second in a South American record and also timed at 12:57 while Gressier’s teammate Yann Schrub - the 2023 European cross country champion - was also a long way under the previous European record in third in 13:10
This is Gressier’s second European record of the season having smashed the continental 5000m record in Boston last month in 12:54.92 in a race won by Grant Fisher in a world record of 12:44.09.
Gressier opted to miss the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn last weekend but he is expected to return to team duties in the 10km at the inaugural European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven on 12-13 April.