Athletics: Jimmy Gressier, king of the Lille Urban Trail, breaks the European 5km record.

The native of Boulogne realizes the double after his victory in 2025 where he had already beaten the European record in front of Yann Schrub.

And in the end, it is the reigning world champion of the 10,000 meters who wins. Jimmy Gressier won the 5km Urban Trail de Lille on Saturday, April 4, beating the Ethiopian Addisu Yihune and his compatriot Yann Schrub, breaking the European record (12’51) but falling short by 2 seconds of the world record (12’49). “It was an incredible race,” said Jimmy Gressier. “I am proud, I didn’t want a Lorrain (Schrub) to beat me here, at home. I had amazing sensations,” he added. “To be honest, I knew Yann (Schrub) was in good form, while I struggled a lot to recover from my emotions after the World Championships,” continued the 28-year-old runner. “I surfed for two months on that title, I felt untouchable, mentally strong, and after the Christmas period, after eating a lot of chocolates, I found myself in a physical state that was not mine.” With strict discipline and several setbacks, Jimmy Gressier finally managed to regain his form to beat “an extremely fit Yann.” “I take my hat off to him. And today, I let Yann do the work, I admit it, I’m not hiding. I used his form, he is currently on another planet. Thank you to him and the others for doing the work, for once it’s good not to lead,” he concluded.

The 28-year-old from Boulogne already held the European record for the discipline (12’57) set in 2025 in Lille in front of… Yann Schrub. Since the International Association of Athletics Federations approved the 5km distance in 2018, a relatively new road distance, the Franco-Swiss Julien Wanders (13:29) is the only European to have briefly held the world record in 2019, even though several athletes had run faster in the past without their performances being recognized as world records.