French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre: biography, achievements and interesting facts. Christophe Lemaitre: biography Performances on the world stage
Christophe Lemaitre(fr. Christophe Lemaitre, June 11, 1990, Annecy, France) - French sprinter, two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2012 and 2016), three-time European champion in 2010 (100, 200 meters and 4100 meters relay), champion Europe in 2012 at a distance of 100 meters, world champion among juniors in 2008 at a distance of 200 meters, multiple champion of France. The first and to date the only white sprinter to run the 100m in less than 10 seconds.
In 2009, Lemaitre was named "Rising Star of the Year" in Europe by the European Athletic Association (EAA). In 2010, he was recognized as the best athlete of the year in Europe, becoming the first Frenchman to receive this award. Lemaitre was ahead of Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen in the voting. Also in 2010, L'quipe, the largest French sports newspaper, recognized Christophe the best athlete years in France.
Career
Season 2009
In March 2009, at the European Indoor Championships in Turin, 18-year-old Christoph took 7th place in the 60 meters with a score of 6.72 seconds.
Season 2010
In June, at the European Team Championships in Bergen, Norway, he took second place in the 100-meter race, setting a personal best of 10.02 seconds (wind +1.1 m/s). Britain's Dwayne Chambers won the 100m with a time of 9.99 seconds.
On July 9, 2010, in Valence, Lemaitre ran 100 meters in 9.98 seconds (tailwind +1.3 m / s), setting a new French record (the previous one was worse by 0.01 seconds and belonged to Ronald Pognon since 2005), best result season in Europe, as well as becoming the first white man to run the 100 meters in less than 10 seconds. Previously, the best white sprinter was the Pole Marian Voronin, who ran 100 meters in 10.00 seconds back in 1984. For representatives of other races, this achievement is not out of the ordinary - for example, the first sprinter to run 100 meters faster than 10 seconds was the black American Jim Hines back in 1968. And in 2003, an Australian (the son of an Irishman and an Australian aborigine) Patrick Johnson ran 100 meters in 9.93 seconds, becoming the 39th athlete in history to “run out” of 10 seconds.
The next day, in the same place in Valence, Lemaitre repeated the French record at a distance of 200 meters - 20.16 seconds (tailwind +1.2 m / s).
European Championship 2010
At the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona on July 28, 20-year-old Christophe managed to win gold in the 100 meters in 10.11 seconds, leaving behind such famous sprinters, as the European record holder Francis Obikvelu, Olympic champion 2004 in the 4100 m relay, Briton Mark Lewis-Francis, multiple winner of the World and European Championships, Briton Duane Chambers. Lemaitre became the first French sprinter since 1962 to win the European Championship in the 100 meters.
After 2 days, Lemaitre won the gold of the European Championship in the final of the 200 meters race, at the very finish he managed to get ahead of Briton Christian Malcolm by 0.01 seconds - 20.37 against 20.38. For France, it was the first gold at this distance at the European Championships since 1966, when Roger Bambuque won.
On August 1, Christophe won the third gold of the European Championship, winning the 4100 m relay as part of the French team (Lemaitre ran in the second stage, and in the last stage, Marcial Mbandjok snatched the gold from the Italians at the very finish line). Lemaitre became the only athlete to win 3 gold at the Barcelona European Championships.
According to the results of July, Lemaitre was recognized as the best athlete in Europe this month.
End of the 2010 season
On August 29 in Rieti, Italy, Lemaitre improved his personal and French national record by 100 meters by another 0.01 seconds - 9.97 (with a wind of +0.9 m / s). On September 4, Kristof won the Continental Cup in Split in the 100m with a score of 10.06 seconds.
Season 2011
In early March, at the European Indoor Championships in Paris, at a distance of 60 meters in the semi-finals, Christophe showed the best result of the season in Europe - 6.55 seconds (repeating a personal best). In the final, the Frenchman, despite a strong finish, failed to improve his result - 6.58 seconds and took only third place after Francis Obikwelu (6.53 seconds - the national record of Portugal) and Dwayne Chambers (6.54 seconds).
Christophe Lemaitre
Lemaitre can be called a man - a legend, even if he never wins another major international tournament in athletics. He has already fulfilled his mission, becoming the first white sprinter who managed to exchange the coveted milestone of 10 seconds at a distance of 100 meters. For black sprinters, this achievement has not been something outstanding for a long time, because the first sprinter to run this distance faster than 10 seconds was the black American Jim Hines back in 1968.
But for Europe, Lemaitre's achievement was an incredibly important event. Having run the distance of 100 meters in 9.98 in June 2010, a simple guy Christophe, who never bathed in people's love, overnight turned into a world celebrity. In the small town of Annecy, where Lemaitre lives, journalists and fans from all over the world began to gather, which, at first, was very surprising and even frightened the athlete a little. Christoph has repeatedly noted that he loves peace and a measured lifestyle. By the way, the athlete assures that he could never live in Paris with its crazy rhythm of life, crowds of tourists and size. Thus, Lemaitre would have lived and trained in Annecy, not knowing the troubles. But it was not there. The desire to be the first and the best captured the athlete so much that quick seconds and perseverance helped him win several medals of prestigious world and European tournaments. Things got to the point that on the eve of the championship in Moscow, he, a white-skinned athlete, is seriously called one of the contenders for a medal at a distance of 100 meters.
Achievements
Lemaitre holds the French record for the 100 (9.92 sec) and 200 (19.80 sec) meters. Also, by the age of 23, the athlete managed to become a three-time European champion in 2010, a winner of the European championship in 2012 and a two-time winner of the World Championship in Daegu-2011 (200 meters and relay)
In addition, Christoph also has awards from junior championships in his piggy bank. So, he had no equal at the 2008 World Junior Championships at a distance of 200 meters.
In 2009, the European Athletic Association recognized him as a "rising star". And already in 2010, he received the title of the best athlete of the year in Europe, while becoming the first Frenchman to receive this award. Also in 2010, the largest sports newspaper L "Equipe recognized Christophe as the best athlete of the year in France.
French sprinter, three-time European champion in 2010 in the 100 and 200 meters, as well as in the 4 × 100 meters relay, world junior champion in 2008 in the 200 meters
In 2009, Lemaitre was named "Rising Star of the Year" in Europe by the European Athletic Association (EAA). In 2010, he was recognized as the best athlete of the year in Europe, becoming the first Frenchman to receive this award. Lemaitre was ahead of Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen in the vote. Also in 2010, the largest French sports newspaper L'quipe recognized Christophe as the best sportsman of the year in France.
Biography and achievements
French record holder at distances of 100 m (9.92 sec) and 200 m (19.80 sec).
In March 2009, at the European Indoor Championships in Turin, 18-year-old Christoph took 7th place in the 60 meters with a score of 6.72 seconds.
On July 9, 2010, in Valence, Lemaitre ran 100 meters in 9.98 seconds (tailwind +1.3 m / s), setting a new French record (the previous one was worse by 0.01 seconds and belonged to Ronald Pognon since 2005), the best result of the season in Europe, as well as becoming the first white man to run 100 meters faster than 10 seconds. Previously, the best white sprinter was Pole Marian Voronin, who ran 100 meters in 10.00 seconds back in 1984. For representatives of other races, this achievement is not out of the ordinary - for example, the first sprinter to run 100 meters faster than 10 seconds was back in 1968 a black American Jim Hynes. And in 2003, an Australian (the son of an Irishman and an Australian aborigine) Patrick Johnson ran 100 meters in 9.93 seconds, becoming the 39th athlete in history to “run out” of 10 seconds.
The next day, in the same place in Valence, Lemaitre repeated the French record at a distance of 200 meters - 20.16 seconds (tailwind +1.2 m / s).
European Championship 2010
At the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona on July 28, 20-year-old Christophe managed to win gold in the 100 meters with a time of 10.11 seconds, leaving behind such famous sprinters as the European record holder Francis Obikwelu of Portugal, the 2004 Olympic champion in the 4x100 m relay Briton Mark Lewis-Francis, multiple winner of the World and European Championships Briton Dwayne Chambers. Lemaitre became the first French sprinter since 1962 to win the European Championship in the 100 meters.
After 2 days, Lemaitre won the gold of the European Championship in the final of the 200 meters race, at the very finish he managed to get ahead of Briton Christian Malcolm by 0.01 seconds - 20.37 against 20.38. For France, it was the first gold at this distance at the European Championships since 1966, when Roger Bambuque won.
On August 1, Christophe won the third gold of the European Championship, winning the 4 × 100 m relay as part of the French team (Lemaitre ran in the second stage, and in the last stage, Martial Mbandjok snatched the gold from the Italians at the very finish line). Lemaitre became the only athlete to win 3 gold at the Barcelona European Championships.
According to the results of July, Lemaitre was recognized as the best athlete in Europe this month.
End of the 2010 season
On August 29 in Rieti, Italy, Lemaitre improved his personal and French national record by 100 meters by another 0.01 seconds - 9.97 (with a wind of +0.9 m / s). On September 4, Kristof won the Continental Cup in Split in the 100m with a score of 10.06 seconds.
Season 2011
In early March, at the European Indoor Championships in Paris, at a distance of 60 meters in the semi-finals, Christophe showed the best result of the season in Europe - 6.55 seconds (repeating a personal best). In the final, the Frenchman, despite a strong finish, failed to improve his result - 6.58 seconds and took only third place after Francis Obikwelu (6.53 seconds - the national record of Portugal) and Dwayne Chambers (6.54 seconds).
On June 18, at the European Team Championships, Lemaitre won victories in the 100 and 200 meters. Christophe ran the 100 meters in 9.95 seconds, thus improving his own record, breaking the championship record and setting a new national record. At a distance of 200 meters, he also became the winner with a time of 20.28 seconds. This result also became a competition record.
On July 29, at the French Championships in Albi, Lemaitre ran 100 meters with a score of 9.92 seconds with a maximum tailwind allowed of 2 m / s. This is Lemaitre's new personal best, as well as a new national record. Thus, Lemaitre surpassed the achievement of Patrick Johnson (9.93 seconds) and became the fastest non-African sprinter in history. In the same place, he ran the 200-meter race in 20.08 seconds, but the new French record was not counted due to too strong a tailwind.
At the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Korea, in the final of the 100-meter race, Lemaitre showed the 4th result (10.19) and failed to win a medal, even though the main favorite of the race, world record holder and Olympic champion at this distance, Usain Bolt was disqualified for false start. At the same time, Lemaitre again became the fastest of all European runners - all three prizes were taken by non-Europeans. In the 200m, Lemaitre managed to win bronze with a new French record of 19.80 seconds. Christophe for the first time “ran out” of 20 seconds at this distance, “dropping” 0.36 seconds from his personal record at once. The time of 19.80 seconds is only 0.08 seconds worse than the European record set by Italian Pietro Mennea in 1979.
In the final of the 4x100m relay, the French, which included Lemaitre in the second stage, took second place with a score of 38.20 seconds, losing only to the Jamaican team, which won with a new world record (37.04 seconds). For the French team, this was the third ever medal in this discipline at the World Championships, after silver in 1991 and gold in 2005.
In 2009, Lemaitre was named "Rising Star of the Year" in Europe by the European Athletic Association (EAA). In 2010, he was recognized as the best athlete of the year in Europe, becoming the first Frenchman to receive this award. Lemaitre was ahead of Norwegian javelin thrower Andreas Thorkildsen in the voting. Also in 2010, the largest French sports newspaper L'quipe recognized Christophe as the best sportsman of the year in France.
Biography and achievements
French record holder at distances of 100 m (9.92 sec) and 200 m (19.80 sec).
In March 2009, at the European Indoor Championships in Turin, 18-year-old Christoph took 7th place in the 60 meters with a score of 6.72 seconds.
On July 9, 2010, in Valence, Lemaitre ran 100 meters in 9.98 seconds (tailwind +1.3 m / s), setting a new French record (the previous one was worse by 0.01 seconds and belonged to Ronald Pognon since 2005), the best result of the season in Europe, as well as becoming the first white man to run 100 meters faster than 10 seconds. Previously, the best white sprinter was the Pole Marian Voronin, who ran 100 meters in 10.00 seconds back in 1984. For representatives of other races, this achievement is not out of the ordinary - for example, the first sprinter to run 100 meters faster than 10 seconds was Jim Hynes, a black American, back in 1968. And in 2003, an Australian (the son of an Irishman and an Australian aborigine) Patrick Johnson ran 100 meters in 9.93 seconds, becoming the 39th athlete in history to “run out” of 10 seconds.
The next day, in the same place in Valence, Lemaitre repeated the French record at a distance of 200 meters - 20.16 seconds (tailwind +1.2 m / s).
European Championship 2010
At the 2010 European Championships in Barcelona on July 28, 20-year-old Christophe managed to win gold in the 100 meters with a time of 10.11 seconds, leaving behind such famous sprinters as the European record holder Francis Obikwelu of Portugal, the 2004 Olympic champion in the 4x100 m relay Briton Mark Lewis-Francis, multiple winner of the World and European Championships Briton Dwayne Chambers. Lemaitre became the first French sprinter since 1962 to win the European Championship in the 100 meters.
After 2 days, Lemaitre won the gold of the European Championship in the final of the 200 meters race, at the very finish he managed to get ahead of Briton Christian Malcolm by 0.01 seconds - 20.37 against 20.38. For France, it was the first gold at this distance at the European Championships since 1966, when Roger Bambuque won.
On August 1, Christophe won the third gold of the European Championship, winning the 4 × 100 m relay as part of the French team (Lemaitre ran in the second stage, and in the last stage, Martial Mbandjok snatched the gold from the Italians at the very finish line). Lemaitre became the only athlete to win 3 gold at the Barcelona European Championships.
According to the results of July, Lemaitre was recognized as the best athlete in Europe this month.
End of the 2010 season
On August 29 in Rieti, Italy, Lemaitre improved his personal and French national record by 100 meters by another 0.01 seconds - 9.97 (with a wind of +0.9 m / s). On September 4, Kristof won the Continental Cup in Split in the 100m with a score of 10.06 seconds.
Season 2011
In early March, at the European Indoor Championships in Paris, at a distance of 60 meters in the semi-finals, Christophe showed the best result of the season in Europe - 6.55 seconds (repeating a personal best). In the final, the Frenchman, despite a strong finish, failed to improve his result - 6.58 seconds and took only third place after Francis Obikwelu (6.53 seconds - the national record of Portugal) and Dwayne Chambers (6.54 seconds).
On June 18, at the European Team Championships, Lemaitre won victories in the 100 and 200 meters. Christophe ran the 100 meters in 9.95 seconds, thus improving his own record, breaking the championship record and setting a new national record. At a distance of 200 meters, he also became the winner with a time of 20.28 seconds. This result also became a competition record.
On July 29, at the French Championships in Albi, Lemaitre ran 100 meters with a score of 9.92 seconds with a maximum tailwind allowed of 2 m / s. This is Lemaitre's new personal best, as well as a new national record. Thus, Lemaitre surpassed the achievement of Patrick Johnson (9.93 seconds) and became the fastest non-African sprinter in history. In the same place, he ran the 200-meter race in 20.08 seconds, but the new French record was not counted due to too strong a tailwind.
At the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, Korea, in the final of the 100-meter race, Lemaitre showed the 4th result (10.19) and failed to win a medal, even though the main favorite of the race, world record holder and Olympic champion at this distance, Usain Bolt was disqualified for false start. At the same time, Lemaitre again became the fastest of all European runners - all three prizes were taken by non-Europeans. In the 200m, Lemaitre managed to win bronze with a new French record of 19.80 seconds. Christophe for the first time “ran out” of 20 seconds at this distance, “dropping” 0.36 seconds from his personal record at once. The time of 19.80 seconds is only 0.08 seconds worse than the European record set by Italian Pietro Mennea in 1979.
In the final of the 4x100m relay, the French, which included Lemaitre in the second stage, took second place with a score of 38.20 seconds, losing only to the Jamaican team, which won with a new world record (37.04 seconds). For the French team, this was the third ever medal in this discipline at the World Championships, after silver in 1991 and gold in 2005.
Biography and achievements
French record holder at distances of 100 m (9.92 sec) and 200 m (19.80 sec).
In March 2009, at the European Indoor Championships in Turin, 18-year-old Christoph took 7th place in the 60 meters with a score of 6.72 seconds.
The next day, in the same place in Valence, Lemaitre repeated the French record at a distance of 200 meters - 20.16 seconds (tailwind +1.2 m / s).
European Championship 2010
Lemaitre at the finish of the 100m race at the 2010 European Championships
End of the 2010 season
Season 2011
World Cup 2011
Lemaitre at the World Championships in Daegu
Season 2012
On May 31 in Rome, Christophe ran the 100 meters in 10.04 seconds, showing the best result of the season in Europe. In the same race, Usain Bolt ran in 9.76 seconds.
European Championship 2012
At the pre-Olympic European Championships in Helsinki, he won gold in the 100 meters. In the preliminary race and the semi-finals, he showed the result of 10.14 seconds, and in the final he ran in 10.09 seconds, 0.03 seconds ahead of another Frenchman, Jimmy Vico. Lemaitre's winning result was 0.02 seconds faster than 2 years ago at the European Championships in Barcelona, but this is 0.10 seconds worse than the European Championships record set in Gothenburg in 2006 by Francis Obikwelu (9.99 seconds). He also won bronze in the 4 × 100 meters relay at the championship (the composition of the French team in the final: Ronald Pognon, Lemaitre, Pierre-Alexis Pessonno, Emmanuel Biron). At a distance of 200 meters, Lemaitre in Helsinki did not go to the start.
Summer Olympics 2012
At the London Games, Christophe competed in the 200m and the 4 x 100m relay. Lemaitre and his coach decided not to compete in the 100m, since on the eve of the Olympics the Frenchman was the owner of only the 10th result of the season in the world, while in the 200m he was fourth. The chances for awards in the 100m were not great, while at the same time, at a distance twice as long, Christophe could fight for awards.
In the 200m, Christophe won the heat with a time of 20.34 seconds. In the semi-finals, Lemaitre only finished third with a time of 20.03 seconds, only 0.02 seconds behind winner Johan Blake and 0.01 seconds behind runner-up Wallace Spearmon (only two out of each of the three semi-finals qualified directly for the final), however high score allowed Lemaitre to qualify for the final (two more athletes "reached" the final in time). Lemaitre's result was higher than the winners of the other two semi-finals. In the final, Christoph failed to improve his time in the semi-final, running in 20.19 seconds, leaving him in sixth place. All three prizes were taken by Jamaican runners (bronze medalist Warren Weir ran slower than Lemaitre's personal record), while Lemaitre lost to the only European besides him in the final - Churandi Martin from the Netherlands.
In the 4 x 100m relay in the preliminary heat, the French team (Jimmy Vico, Lemaitre, Pierre-Alexis Pessonno, Ronald Pognon) qualified for the final in time (38.15 seconds), finishing 4th in their heat. In the final, the French in the same composition ran 0.01 seconds slower, but also took 4th place, only 0.04 seconds behind bronze medalists from Trinidad and Tobago. Jamaican sprinters won with a world record. Thus, Lemaitre left London without any Olympic medals.
Notes
- There is also the spelling Lemaître
- Azerbaijani Athlete Named Second Athlete of the Year in Europe (English) . day.az (October 2, 2009). Archived
- Frenchman Lemaitre voted 2010 European Athlete of the Year (Eng.) (October 5, 2010). Archived
- Sprinter Lemaitre named "French Sportsman of the Year" (December 26, 2010). Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
- P-J Vazel Lemaitre - 9.98sec (English) . iaaf.org (July 9, 2010). Archived
- Bertrand Boucey Lemaitre first white man to run 100m in under 10 seconds. Reuters Canada (July 9, 2010). Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
- For the first time in 10 seconds! . sport-express.ru (July 10, 2010). Archived
- Valeria Mironova The fastest white. Kommersant (July 30, 2010). Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
- Patrick Johnson - 9.93 sec. Soviet sport (May 7, 2003). Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
- Lemaitre's second gold. Eurosport.ru (July 30, 2010). Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
- Athletics - Lemaitre's third gold. Eurosport.ru (August 2, 2010).
