Jimmy Gressier makes history with Diamond League Victory in Zurich
French runner Jimmy Gressier achieved the greatest victory of his career on Thursday in Zurich by winning the Diamond League final in the 3,000 m sprint finish, a performance that places him among the very few French athletes to have triumphed in such a prestigious competition. In a race contested over 3,000 m but counting towards the 5,000 m ranking, Gressier demonstrated remarkable tactical intelligence. Always well positioned in the pack, the French 5,000 m record holder waited until the final bend to launch his decisive move.
With 80 m to go, he shifted to the right, taking advantage of Swedish runner Andreas Almgren’s slight drop in pace—who eventually finished 3rd in 7:36.82—to hold off the late charge of American Grant Fisher, 2nd in 7:36.81, and crossed the line first in 7:36.78. At the finish, Gressier could not hide his emotion: “It was a little dream I had in my head. When I saw Jakob Ingebrigtsen winning these Diamond League finals, I told myself how much I wanted to hold that trophy just once in my hands. Today, I have it, it’s mine”, he said.
Initially aiming to break the French record, the Northerner chose instead to play it smart, acknowledging that every race can unfold unexpectedly: “I thought I had maybe a 10% chance of winning, but in sport anything is possible once you step onto the starting line.” Already crowned European half-marathon champion last April in Brussels, Jimmy Gressier now adds another prestigious achievement to his record, confirming his status as one of France’s most promising distance runners, now proudly holding a Diamond League trophy.
