French Championship Run on Rekortan
Ahead of the World Championships, France’s best athletes delivered world-class performances.
From August 1 to 3, the recently renovated Pierre-Paul Bernard Stadium in Talence welcomed more than 650 of France’s finest athletes for the 2025 French Elite Athletics Championships, a cornerstone event on the European athletics calendar.
With 38 men’s and women’s events and over 20,000 spectators, it was a reminder of last summer’s Olympic magic in Paris. But in Talence, on the Rekortan track installed by Polytan, the focus was on moving forward (with speed) and qualifying for this year’s World Championships in Tokyo (13 to 21 September).
World Record 10,000m Race Walk
Amongst many standout performances, the notable was Gabriel Bordier, who shattered expectations in the men’s 10,000m race walk, setting a new world record time of 37:23.99. He eclipsed the previous mark set by Japan’s Eiki Takahashi in 2020.
On the women’s side, three walkers broke the French record. Clémence Beretta smashed her own national record with a time of 42:52.17, while Pauline Stey took silver in 42:57.93 and Ana Delahaie secured bronze in 43:15.15.
“It is the second-fastest time in the world this season and makes Kwaou-Mathey the third Frenchman to break the 13-second barrier.”
Fast Times, Young Champions & Records on Rekortan
In the 110m hurdles, Just Kwaou-Mathey stormed to victory in 12.99 seconds, matching the Olympic gold medal-winning time from Paris 2024. It is the second-fastest time in the world this season and makes Kwaou-Mathey the third Frenchman to break the 13-second barrier.
With Sasha Zhoya finishing second, the race was a powerful reminder of France’s rich tradition in hurdling.
In the women’s 1,500m, Adèle Gay became national champion at just 20 years old, breaking the under-23 record that had not budged since 1988. With a time of 4:04.12, she ousted French favorite Agathe Guillemot for first place.
In the men’s 1,500m final, Azeddine Habz delivered a masterclass in race control, winning in 3:33.33 and breaking the French Championship record, previously held at 3:36.30. Romain Mornet took second in 3:33.80, while Paul Anselmini grabbed third in 3:33.95.
Triple Jump Record & 39-Year-Old Legend
On his final attempt, Melvin Raffin broke the French Championships triple jump record with a leap of 17.52m. “I knew I had this jump in my legs for years,” he said. Raffin beat his personal best from 2017 and secured qualification for Tokyo. His performance, now the second-best in the world this season, positions him as a strong medal contender for the World Championships.
Renaud Lavillenie won his 11th national title in the men’s pole vault with a jump of 5.82m. At nearly 39 years old, it marked Lavillenie’s first national title in five years. His is a powerful story of persistence, dedication, and love of the sport.
With the most World Athletics certified tracks, the most Olympic records, and the most Diamond League venues, Rekortan has earned a strong reputation for quality, performance, and consistency.
We congratulate all the athletes who competed at the Championnats de France d'Athlétisme Elite 2025 and wish them well for the rest of the season.
Rekortan, the most globally installed track, is available through the world’s largest installation network. In North America, Rekortan is available via AstroTurf. In EMEA and Asia Pacific, it is available via Polytan. Rekortan is also installed globally through our network of expert installation partners, who are dedicated to creating high-performance tracks for athletes.