Can world champion Jimmy Gressier complete a dream 2025 by winning gold at the Lagoa 2025 SPAR European Cross Country Championships on 14 December?
The charismatic Frenchman has already won half marathon gold at the European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven in April and a glorious gold over 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September.
In addition, he set a European indoor 5000m record of 12:54.92 in February. If he can pull off another victory in Lagoa, he will prove he is truly a man for all seasons and all surfaces.
The SPAR European Cross Country Championships will be streamed live on the European Athletics website from 9.00am local time (10.00am CET.)
Five to watch
- Jimmy Gressier (FRA)
- Dominic Lobalu (SUI)
- Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP)
- José Carlos Pinto (POR)
- Ruben Querinjean (LUX)
Key storylines
- Jimmy Gressier bidding to win his third major title on a third surface this year
- Jose Carlos Pinto carries home hopes
- Could Ruben Querinjean contend for Luxembourg?
Gressier already has an impressive SPAR European Cross Country Championships pedigree, winning three successive men’s U23 titles from 2017–2019. He supplemented his collection with bronze in the senior men’s race in Dublin in 2021.
Now he has his sights on the senior crown to complete a brilliant year with another international title. Originally, he was named in France’s team, yet his participation was not confirmed.
But having shown he is in great shape with a dominant victory on the roads on Sunday (7) at the Course de l’Escalade in Geneva, he confirmed his intent to race in Lagoa. His opposition includes European 10,000m champion Dominic Lobalu of Switzerland, one of the top-class athletes left in Gressier’s wake in Geneva.
Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo won bronze at the Antalya 2024 SPAR European Cross Country Championships. He is a consistent performer on the international cross-country circuit and, on the familiar climes of the Iberian Peninsula, he is a medal threat again.
Portuguese champion José Carlos Pinto is the big home hope. Having won the national title at the test event on the same Lagoa course two weeks prior to the big event, no one will be better prepared.
He is also being coached by Gjert Ingebrigtsen, father of defending champion Jakob, who will be absent after an injury-affected season.
There is also a rare medal hope for Luxembourg in the form of Ruben Querinjean.
The 24-year-old won U23 bronze in Dublin in 2021 and arrives in Lagoa in fine form. The 3000m steeplechaser enjoyed an excellent summer, winning at the Brussels Diamond League and the World University Games, before going on to place 10th in the final at the World Athletics Championships.
He also recently won at the Belgian Cross Country Championships, getting the better of Isaac Kimeli, the world 5000m silver medallist.
What they said
Jimmy Gressier: "My dream: it is clear to be a European cross country champion this Sunday in Portugal. That would be the fist time in my senior career as an individual. The other objective is to win the team title with France."
Did you know?
Spain is the most successful nation in the senior men’s team competition with 10 victories overall, just ahead of France (9).