Gressier shines on the streets of Lille
After previously sharing the European 5km road record with Dominic Lobalu with a time of 13:12, Gressier proved beyond all doubt who is the master of the distance on the continent. His recent move to KIPRUN has already seen records fall on the track with a European record in the indoor 5000m. This run of 12:54.92 in Boston set the tone for the Frenchman. Now, he owns the record on the roads too.
Breaking the record he set in Monaco back in 2023, Gressier lowered the mark to 12:57. This makes him the first European to break the 13 minute barrier on the roads. Furthermore, it puts him 5th on the all time list. In what was a very fast race, the top 4 finishers all beat the previous European record. Gressier and Santiago Catrofe were locked together until the line. Catrofe’s finish time of 12:58 was also a new South American record taking over 30 seconds off the previous time.
The day also saw Yann Schrub, France’s 2023 European Cross Country champion, finish in 13:01 which is a massive personal best. A very good day for all competitors with the leading pack all under the previous European 5km road record. At the start of the road season, this bodes very well for what’s to come this year.
Next month, we will see a gathering of stars at the European Road Running Championships in Brussels and Leuven. With some of the stellar times being run so far, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more record fall when the races begin. Whatever happens, be sure to keep tuned into Meta Endurance across the internet for the latest news as it happens. We will be among the action so that you don’t miss out on the top performances, interviews or action.
