European 10km champion Yann Schrub outsprinted European half marathon champion Jimmy Gressier in a thrilling 5000m on the first day of the French Championships in Talence on Friday (1) evening.
Schrub edged out fellow European champion Gressier on the last lap, winning in 13:31.15 ahead of Gressier in 13:31.29.
“Not finishing in Monaco [in the Diamond League, his last 5000m] didn't make me happy, but I have no regrets, and the most important thing is to have been able to get back up for this event,” said Schrub.
Fellow European champion Alice Finot was also among the winners on the first day but not without a battle. Finot won the 3000m steeplechase title in 9:33.16 just ahead of Flavie Renouard in 9:33.28.
The enduring Melina Robert-Michon won her 24th French title - and 42 including winter titles - in the discus. Now 46 and with her sights set on an eighth successive Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, Robert-Michon won yet another domestic title with 61.64m.
The first day concluded with a fast 10,000m race walk with Clemence Beretta, who led France to team gold at the European Race Walking Team Championships in Podebrady in May, winning in a French record of 42:57.17.
13:08.33 5000m for Nordas at Norwegian Championships
World 1500m bronze medallist Narve Gilje Nordas won a fast 5000m at the Norwegian Championships in Askoy.
Nordas won the title in 13:08.33 for victory ahead of Magus Tuv Myhre in 13:09.12 with European half marathon silver medallist Awet Kibrab third in 13:18.57.
There was also a fast women’s 5000m at the Spanish Championships in Tarragona on Friday with European bronze medallist Marta Garcia winning in a championship record of 14:59.23.
Daniele Arce also won the 3000m steeplechase title in 8:25.49 and world indoor bronze medallist Fatime Diame won the long jump with 6.77m.
At the Finnish Championships in Espoo on Friday, Lotta Harala won an always competitive 100m hurdles final in 12.67 with Nooralotta Neziri improving to a lifetime best of 12.73.
At the German Championships, 2023 European U20 champion Sandrina Sprengel returned from injury to win the heptathlon title with a lifetime best score of 6315 points with Tim Nowak, who is retiring at the end of the year, winning the decathlon with 8140 points.
German record-holder Mohamed Abdilaahi and 2022 European 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Lea Meyer won the 5000m titles in 13:50.28 and 15:26.33 respectively.
At the Swedish Championships in Karlstad, European 5000m record-holder Andreas Almgren won the 10,000m title in 28:53.49 and Henrik Larsson and Julia Henriksson won the 100m titles in 10.22 and 11.33 respectively.
Wictor Petersson won the shot put with 20.90 and Maja Askag jumped 14.07m in the triple jump.