Jimmy Gressier takes first European medal with 10,000m bronze in Birmingham

Gressier secures first European medal

Jimmy Gressier claimed his first European Championship medal on Saturday 15 August, taking bronze in the 10,000m final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. The 29-year-old Frenchman, reigning world champion over the distance, had never previously reached a continental podium, having finished fourth at Munich 2022 and fifth at Rome 2024. The bronze ended a run of never having medalled at a European Championship. He crossed the line in 28'07"90, having accelerated in the final 200 metres to pull clear of Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa and secure third place.

The race was controlled from the front by Sweden's Andreas Almgren, who broke away for a solo victory that left the rest of the field unable to respond. His winning time was reported as 27'23"44 or 27'23"50, depending on the source. Swiss defending champion Dominic Lobalu, the title holder from the previous edition, took silver in 27'42"67. Gressier crossed the line in 28'07"90, well behind the leading pair.

Race dynamics

Almgren imposed his rhythm from the outset, with Gressier initially matching the Swede's pace before cracking gradually over the laps. The Frenchman then found himself neck and neck with Crippa for the bronze medal position, both runners fighting for the final podium spot as Almgren and Lobalu pulled away ahead of them. In the final 200 metres, Gressier accelerated to break the deadlock with the Italian, securing third despite a time well off the leading pair. Almgren's victory was never in doubt, the Swede pulling clear for a solo effort that left Lobalu, the defending champion, unable to close the gap. Almgren finished well clear of the rest of the field and was never seriously challenged for the gold medal.

From frustration to podium

Gressier arrived in Birmingham carrying the disappointment of a fourth-place finish in the 5,000m earlier in the competition, where he placed just behind compatriot Etienne Daguinos. That result had added to his history of continental near-misses at the European Championships. The 29-year-old managed to bounce back at the right moment in the 10,000m. The bronze ended a run of near-misses that had defined his European Championship career across three editions, from Munich 2022 through Rome 2024 to Birmingham 2026. His time of 28'07"90 was far from his time of 28'55"77 recorded in Tokyo, though the Birmingham race unfolded at a tempo set by Almgren rather than by the Frenchman himself.

French presence and medal tally

Two additional French runners reached the 10,000m final. Baptiste Guyon finished fifth in 28'20"61, and Simon Bédart placed ninth. The trio's combined presence in the final gave France depth in the event, though none could match Almgren, whose front-running effort left the field trailing. Gressier, despite his world champion status, was unable to challenge for the top two positions as Almgren and Lobalu pulled clear. With the competition on the eve of its conclusion, France's medal count stood at eight, compared with 16 podiums two years earlier at the Rome European Championships. The Birmingham edition represents a reduced output for the French team, with Gressier's first continental medal providing an individual highlight on the penultimate day.