Running: rainy day… records during the Nîmes half-marathon

Marseillais Maamar Bengriba flew over the race on the Nîmes track. FREE NOON – ALEXIS BETHUNE

At the end of the effort, the Moroccan Hasnaa Taskart could have a smile, the finish line crossed. FREE NOON – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Mourad Bensal (2e), Adriano Toffoli et Régis Bordier (3e) : le podium du 10 km. MIDI LIBRE – ALEXIS BETHUNE

In addition to winning the 29th edition of the Nîmes half-marathon, Maamar Bengriba and Hasnaa Taskart improved the times of the event. Cuvée 2024 grand cru for the event organized by the Macadam club in Nîmes.

As a good resident of OM, he could only go straight to the point. Wednesday morning, the Phocaean Maamar Bengriba, 39, passed between the drops and at great speed in Nîmes, winning the 29th edition of the half-marathon (21 km), organized by the Macadam club in Nîmes. ''I left with a colleague from OM, he summed up, relaxed, recovery complete. We were on 3’4 per kilo and he told me that he couldn’not be able to keep up. I told him to stay behind and that I was going…'' Bengriba then left. Focus on the time, his favorite: ''The important thing is the time. When I call an organizer, if I have done 1 hour 3, it's easy to make a commitment. For travel expenses, have an Elite bib, starting bonuses…''

Bengriba reduces the reference time by 4 minutes

In Nîmes, with the presence of the Marseillais, the record for the event, 1 h 08’ 45 by Youssef Benhadi in 2023, was in great danger. And what was supposed to happen. From the arenas to the racecourse, via the road to Avignon, Bengriba (record at 1:02:46) lowered the record by more than … 4 minutes (1:04:38 a.m.).
Julien Ameduri (Montpellier start running, 2nd; 1:06:31) and Martin Nyakua (1REC, 3rd; 1:7:5), also, had done what he needed with the record, but fell on Bengriba. A podium which, on this semi-qualifier for the French championships of the specialty, has already stamped its ticket (minimum at 1:15’’rsquo;30; 1 h  45 in female).

Taskart, trial run and masterstroke

If the Provençal went it alone, the Moroccan Hasnaa Taskart, winner among the women, used another tactic. ''She is stayed in my stride almost the entire race'', slipped Delphine Py-Bilot (AC2A), 2nd in 1 h 19’’ 29; Fatima Korichi (OM) placing 3rd in 1 h 21’59).

La Cévenole, 45 years old, privileged witness of the scene and deposited, avenue Feuchères, by the high speed and the 22 years old Taskart. Here too, the time is perfect: 1:19 a.m. 07, new record for the event. Élodie Senter, 1:20’08 in 2022, was erased from the shelves. In Nîmes, Taskart, top 20 in 2019 at the World Junior Cross Country, his specialty, took part in his first semi. Promising.

Over 10 km, Adriano Toffoli alone in the world; the Nîmes Paul Baubiet winner in the 5 km sprint

Rather funny scene at the finish of the 10km. As he pushes through the crowd, among the many finishers of the 5 km (starting at 8:40 a.m.), Adriano Toffoli, green bib on his chest, the color for his distance, is abruptly stopped by an official then that he has just crossed the finish line as the winner.

''She wanted to take me out of the race…'&#39 ;

Explanation from the main party: ''She wanted to take me out of the race, she thought I didn't have got off to a good start (sic)…'' It’s true that the 40-year-old from Montpellier went quickly to everyone, completing the course in 30’22. Too fast for the 1 009 other competitors, relegated to the distance, more than 3 minutes behind for Mourad Bensal, 2nd in 33’45 (Régis Bordier, 3rd in 33’52).''From the first kilometers, we found ourselves in twos, threes and, after that, I got into the rhythm''< /em>, Toffoli analyzed. In the ladies' 10km, victory for Juliette Bonnefoy in 36’37 (19th overall).