By David Monti, @d9monti (c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved TOKYO (14-Sep) -- Frenchman Jimmy Gressier, the reigning European half-marathon champion, showed tonight that he still has impressive track chops. The 28 year-old expertly navigated a bunched-up field in the men's 10,000m at the 20th World Athletics Championships at National Stadium, striking at just the right moment in the final 100 meters to win in 28:55.77, the slowest winning time in championships history. He is the first Frenchman ever to win a global 10,000m title. "This is a child's dream come true," Gressier told the World Athletics flash quotes team. "I always believed that an athlete, once he steps on the track, can achieve great things. This is what has characterized my career." The steamy conditions here made fast running difficult, and none of the men in the field of 25 athletes had any interest in running fast. The field dawdled through the fist kilometer in 3:16.68, five seconds slower than the women did in their final last night. Grant Fisher of the United States, the 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medalist, couldn't believe how slow it was. "I didn't expect literally no one would have an interest in leading at all," Fisher told reporters. "I think everyone was kind of surprised with the fartlek nature, but because of that everyone was there with a lap to go." What appeared to be a big move by Kenya's Edwin Kurgat just after the halfway split quickly fizzled, and by 7000 meters the pace was slow again. Fisher reluctantly led with Sweden's Andreas Almgren, South Africa's Adriaan Wildschutt, and Japan's Jun Kasai and Mebuki Suzuki close behind. Almgren said he felt more comfortable near the front because he wanted to be in position to cover any moves in the final laps. "When the race goes so slow as it was, it's important to stay in the front because if someone makes a move you don't want to be too far back," Almgren told reporters. "When it was so slow you might as well be up in the front." Eight thousand meters went by in 23:46.65, a time that might win a local 5-mile road race. The pack still had 20 athletes together. Almgren led with Fisher, his USA teammate Nico Young, Gressier, and Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha right behind. Kejelcha, who said after tonight's competition that this was his last-ever race on the track, finally started the wind-up with 300 meters to go. He is known as a very fast finisher, but Gressier liked his chances. "Some may have doubted my finish, but I always believed in myself," Gressier said. "I said I would run here for a medal. On the home stretch, I moved to third, then second and then gold." Indeed, Gressier had great position in the center of the track and sliced through the field until he finally came up on Kejelcha in the last five meters. He passed the tall Ethiopian just before the line beating him by 6/100ths of a second. Kejelcha said that he made a tactical error and did not follow the instructions of his coach. "I started too early a little bit," Kejelcha said in English. "My coaches told me, wait for 200 (meters to go), but I start 300. (That's) why I lose." Almgren's diligence in staying alert at the front paid off. He was in great position on the inside to get a straight shot to the line in the final meters. He got the bronze medal in 28:56.02 just ahead of Kenya's Ishmael Kipkirui (28:56.48), and Young (28:56.62). Fisher ended up eighth. "So I think it worked fine for me," Almgren said of his strategy. "I probably would have wanted a little bit faster race, but I worked so hard with my kick the last few weeks I was so confident that if it was a slow race that would be good as well." KIPYEGON, HULL ADVANCE TO WOMEN'S 1500M FINAL The 2024 Paris Olympic gold and silver medalists in the 1500m, Faith Kipyegon of Kenya and Jessica Hull of Australia, both advanced to Tuesday's final. Kipyegon, a three-time world 1500m champion, controlled the first heat from the front and won in 4:00.34. She said that she felt comfortable running at the front. "I just wanted to execute it step-by-step to get to the final," she told Race Results Weekly. "That's the main thing, just to go in front and just control the race." She added: "I just wanted to keep myself out of trouble." Kipyegon's teammate Dorcus Ewoi took second in 4:00.65 and got a big hug from Kipyegon just after the race. Freweyni Hailu of Ethiopia and Sinclaire Johnson of the United States finished third and fourth, respectively. Hull didn't win the second heat, but was a very close second to Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir, 4:06.86 to 4:06.87. American Nikki Hiltz was third, followed by Poland's Klaudia Kazimierska. Gabriela DeBues-Stafford of Canada, who didn't make it to the 2022 or 2023 World Championships and also missed last summer's Olympic Games, finished fifth to advance to her first outdoor global final since the Olympics here in 2021. "It feels really good," said an emotional DeBues-Stafford. "My goals in the past have been to be in the hunt for medals, but this year was about just surviving the rounds. The three or four years that I've been away the 1500 has just moved on so drastically. You used to be safe, basically, if you were a sub-4:00 athlete, and now every round several sub-4:00 women have gone home." HABZ, INGEBRIGTSEN AND KOECH FAIL TO ADVANCE IN 1500M There were significant results in the first round of the men's 1500m. Three presumed medal favorites --Azzedine Habz of France, Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway and Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech of Kenya-- failed to advance to the semi-finals. Habz, the world leader with a best time of 3:27.49, missed advancing by just one place in the first heat where he finished seventh. Ingebrigtsen, who had not competed since winning the world indoor 1500m title last March due to an Achilles injury, finished eighth in the fourth and final heat. "It's a first-time experience that I haven't got to the next round," Ingebrigtsen told the flash quotes team here. "Of course, it's very disappointing but at the same time it is a reality check. This is an event that's very competitive. You need to prepare your best and of course, I'm not there." Kosgei, who ran in the same heat as Ingebrigtsen, tripped and fell just past the bell. He tried to catch up, but ended up 12th. Reigning world champion Josh Kerr of Great Britain finished second in the first heat and advanced with little drama. "I am coming here as someone who's done it before and I am coming to do it again," Kerr told the flash quotes team. He continued: "I am here to win, but it does not come from one race. I want to stay present in what I am doing and work hard." Other key athletes who advanced include the Netherlands's Niels Laros (third in heat two), Britain's Jake Wightman (first in heat four) and Neil Gourley (third in heat three), USA's Cole Hocker (first in heat three) and Jonah Koech (third in heat four), and Norway's Narve Gilje Nordas (first in heat one). - - - - - Tomorrow morning the men's marathon will be contested. PHOTO: Faith Kipyegon wins her semi-final heat of the 1500m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly) PHOTO: Jimmy Gressier wins the 10,000m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly) PHOTO: Jimmy Gressier celebrates his 10,000m victory at the 2025 World Athletics Championships (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly) - - - - - - - RACE RESULTS WEEKLY is sponsored by RunCzech, organizers of the Prague Marathon and a series of iconic running events, including the Prague Half Marathon, part of the SuperHalfs, and Italy’s fastest half marathon, the Napoli City Half Marathon. Learn more at runczech.com. ENDS RACE RESULTS WEEKLY is sponsored by RunCzech, celebrating the 30th Prague Marathon and showcasing iconic running series like the SuperHalfs and Italy’s fastest half marathon, the Napoli City Half Marathon. 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