TOKYO : Frenchman Jimmy Gressier produced a brilliant late kick to win a shock gold medal in the men’s 10,000 metres at the world championships on Sunday, becoming the first man born outside East Africa to win the distance title since 1983.
The 28-year-old had bided his time in the pack in a race slowed by the stifling conditions and timed his run to the line to perfection, claiming his first global title in 28 minutes, 55.77 seconds.
“This is a child’s dream come true,” said Gressier. “I always believed that an athlete, once he steps on the track, can achieve great things.
“This is what has characterised my career. Some may have doubted my finish, but I always believed in myself. I said I would run here for a medal.”
Gressier, who at one stage considered switching to steeplechase so frustrated was he with his lack of global success in flat distance running, said Olympic 5,000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen had given him some helpful advice.
“Jakob told me I was training too hard,” he said. “I made a few changes to my training, to be more controlled. I had a lot of mental energy for the final lap and it helped me today.”
Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha finally took the chance to make a break from the pack on the final lap but was overtaken in the last few metres by Gressier and had to settle for second in 28.55.83 to win another silver to match the one he won in Doha in 2019.
A new 10,000m world champion was always going to be crowned in Tokyo after Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei decided to quit the track for the road after winning three straight world titles and Olympic gold in Paris last year.
Kejelcha and his teammates had been hoping to bring the title back to their country for the first time since Ibrahim Jeilan won it in 2011, the ninth time Ethiopia had held it.
“We had the race under control until the last lap. We were very helpful, supporting each other and changing in front,” he said.
“I’m sorry that my compatriots lost the chance to get a medal. My biggest mistake was that I reacted to Gressier’s spurt too late.
“I decided that this season is my last one on the track and I badly wanted to finish my track career with a medal.”
Swede Andreas Almgren, who led the race for several laps towards the end as the pack bunched together, held on for third place in 28.56.02.
“At four European championships I placed fourth in four different events, so it really means a lot to finally win a medal,” he said.
“I think I could go for the gold if the race was a bit quicker, although I worked hard on my finish kick over the last month.”
