French Athletics Championships: Videos of the spectacular victories of Finot, Zézé and Schrub in Talence
This Friday, August 1st, there were some great battles for the national titles in the 3,000m steeplechase, 100m and 5,000m.
By Le ParisienAlice Finot had to fight hard. The Frenchwoman, who finished fourth at last year's Paris Olympics and set a European record, barely retained her national title in the 3000m steeplechase on Friday evening at the French Athletics Championships in Talence.
The distance specialist had to sprint away from Flavie Renouard, who was already her French runner-up last year, in the final straight to win in 9:33:16. Alice Finot will be one of the headliners of the French delegation at the Tokyo World Championships in September.
Another sprint finish in the evening was the men's 5,000m. European 10,000m runner-up Yann Schrub dominated Jimmy Gressier after a blistering finish. The French record holder lost in 13:31.29, 0.14 seconds slower than the new French champion (13:31.15).
Ryan Zézé didn't meet the minimum time limits, but won the 100m. The sprinter, who won the 200m last year, won his first French championship title in this distance in 10.25 seconds, ahead of Jeff Erius (10.27 seconds) and William Aguessy (10.36 seconds).
"I wanted this title so badly. I wanted gold, I want the double now with the 200m," he explained to the newspaper Sud Ouest . "I can go faster than that, with more discipline. I can achieve the minimums for Tokyo (10.00m), I have to go for a new level."
Finally, Mélina Robert-Michon , one of the two flag bearers for France at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games, won her twenty-fourth French championship title in Gironde. The discus throw specialist won the competition with a throw of 61.64 m.
Le Parisien
