Jimmy Gressier Finishes Fast, Wins World Championships 10,000m Gold at Tokyo 25

TOKYO (14-Sep) -- Frenchman Jimmy Gressier, the reigning European half-marathon champion, showed tonight that he still has impressive track chops.  The 28 year-old expertly navigated a bunched-up field in the men's 10,000m at the 20th World Athletics Championships at National Stadium, striking at just the right moment in the final 100 meters to win in 28:55.77, the slowest winning time in championships history.  He is the first Frenchman ever to win a global 10,000m title.

"This is a child's dream come true," Gressier told the World Athletics flash quotes team.  "I always believed that an athlete, once he steps on the track, can achieve great things. This is what has characterized my career."

The steamy conditions here made fast running difficult, and none of the men in the field of 25 athletes had any interest in running fast.  The field dawdled through the fist kilometer in 3:16.68, five seconds slower than the women did in their final last night.  Grant Fisher of the United States, the 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medalist, couldn't believe how slow it was.

"I didn't expect literally no one would have an interest in leading at all," Fisher told reporters.  "I think everyone was kind of surprised with the fartlek nature, but because of that everyone was there with a lap to go."

What appeared to be a big move by Kenya's Edwin Kurgat just after the halfway split quickly fizzled, and by 7000 meters the pace was slow again.  Fisher reluctantly led with Sweden's Andreas Almgren, South Africa's Adriaan Wildschutt, and Japan's Jun Kasai and Mebuki Suzuki close behind.  Almgren said he felt more comfortable near the front because he wanted to be in position to cover any moves in the final laps.

"When the race goes so slow as it was, it's important to stay in the front because if someone makes a move you don't want to be too far back," Almgren told reporters.  "When it was so slow you might as well be up in the front."

Eight thousand meters went by in 23:46.65, a time that might win a local 5-mile road race.  The pack still had 20 athletes together.  Almgren led with Fisher, his USA teammate Nico Young, Gressier, and Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha right behind.  Kejelcha, who said after tonight's competition that this was his last-ever race on the track, finally started the wind-up with 300 meters to go.  He is known as a very fast finisher, but Gressier liked his chances.

"Some may have doubted my finish, but I always believed in myself," Gressier said.  "I said I would run here for a medal. On the home stretch, I moved to third, then second and then gold."

Indeed, Gressier had great position in the center of the track and sliced through the field until he finally came up on Kejelcha in the last five meters.  He passed the tall Ethiopian just before the line beating him by 6/100ths of a second.  Kejelcha said that he made a tactical error and did not follow the instructions of his coach.

"I started too early a little bit," Kejelcha said in English.  "My coaches told me, wait for 200 (meters to go), but I start 300.  (That's) why I lose."

Almgren's diligence in staying alert at the front paid off.  He was in great position on the inside to get a straight shot to the line in the final meters.  He got the bronze medal in 28:56.02 just ahead of Kenya's Ishmael Kipkirui (28:56.48), and Young (28:56.62).  Fisher ended up eighth.

"So I think it worked fine for me," Almgren said of his strategy.  "I probably would have wanted a little bit faster race, but I worked so hard with my kick the last few weeks I was so confident that if it was a slow race that would be good as well."