France’s Jimmy Gressier has become one of the most recognisable figures on the international running scene.
From making an early impression as a U20 and U23 athlete at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships — complete with trademark finish-line celebrations — to capturing a glorious 10,000m gold at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships, he has thrilled athletics fans with his flamboyance and electrifying finishing speed.
Here are 10 interesting facts about Jimmy Gressier:
Fishing-port hometown
Gressier grew up in the historic coastal town of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northwest France, best known as one of the country’s major fishing ports.
International-class footballer
Before committing fully to athletics at the age of 17, Gressier was selected to represent France at the 2015 World Schools Football Cup in Guatemala, highlighting his early sporting versatility. He grew up in the same neighbourhood as France and Bayern Munich star Franck Ribéry.
Showmanship celebrations
He is renowned for his celebrations almost as much as his race victories. At the 2019 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Lisbon, he mimicked a race walker approaching the finish line to claim men’s U23 gold.
At the 2025 European Running Championships, he hurdled the tape like a steeplechaser on his way to victory. Most famously, after winning U23 gold at the 2018 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg, an ambitious knee-slide celebration ended in an undignified face-plant into the finishing tape.
10,000m trailblazer
Gressier is one of only 10 men in history to win a world 10,000m title — just the third European after Italy’s Alberto Cova (1983) and Great Britain’s Mo Farah (2013, 2015, 2017) — and the first French athlete to achieve the feat.
Record-breaker
He currently holds four French national records:
- 5000m – 12:54.97
- 10,000m – 26:58.67
- 5km road – 12:57
- Indoor 5000m – 12:54.92
His indoor mark also stands as the European record.
Tactical evolution
Gressier has showcased impressive tactical variety at the highest level. He has run away from the field to take U23 gold at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships and to win the men’s half marathon at the 2025 European Running Championships in Brussels–Leuven.
In contrast, his victories in the world 10,000m final and the 3000m at the 2025 Diamond League Final in Zurich were secured by devastating late kicks that out-sprinted his rivals.
World-class training environment
He trains under coach Adrien Taouji alongside athletes including European half-marathon bronze medallist Valentin Gondouin and Aude Clavier, silver medallist in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Espoo 2023 European Athletics U23 Championships.
During altitude training camps in Font-Romeu, France, and Flagstaff, USA, Gressier has also worked alongside Dutch record holder Mike Foppen and Swedish European 5000m record holder Andreas Almgren.
Valuable advice from Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Gressier has revealed that multiple Olympic, world and European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen once advised him that he was “training too hard.” He subsequently adjusted his approach and later credited that guidance as a key factor behind his 10,000m gold at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
U23 hat-trick
He completed the rare feat of winning three consecutive men’s U23 titles at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships — Šamorín 2017, Tilburg 2018 and Lisbon 2019.
Inspiring quotes
Reflecting on his aggressive racing philosophy, Gressier has said:
“I race to be brave. I don’t want to leave a track thinking I played it safe.”
“If I lose, I want to lose after trying everything.”
“Pain is temporary, regret lasts much longer.”
“When the pace hurts, that means it’s working.”