French Athletics Championships Explained

Sport:Track and field
Country:France
Founded:1888

The French Athletics Championships (French: Championnats de France d'athlétisme) is an annual outdoor track and field competition organised by the Fédération française d'athlétisme (FFA; French Athletics Federation), which serves as the French national championships for the sport. The three-day event is typically held in early or mid-summer and the venue varies on an annual basis. It is open to adults of all ages and is thus referred to as the senior or élite championships.

The championships were first held in 1888 and were organised by the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA; Union of French Athletics Sports Societies).[1] The USFSA declined in favour of specialised national sports bodies early in the 20th century and FFA has organised the championships since 1921. The championships have been held every year since their inauguration with the exception of four inter-war years: 1915, 1916, 1940, and 1944.[2]

Events

On the current programme a total of 38 individual French Championship athletics events are contested, divided evenly between men and women. For each of the sexes, there are six track running events, three obstacle events, four jumps, four throws, a racewalk and a combined track and field event.

Track running
Obstacle events
Jumping events
Throwing events
Walking events
Combined events

In addition to the individual championship events, clubs are entered into team championship events which include relays over four distances:

Until 1995, the long-distance women's event was over 3000 metres. This was matched to the men's distance of 5000 m in line with changes in the Olympic programme. Though fewer events were initially on offer in the women's track and field programme for the French championships, this was gradually expanded, with the 1500 m being introduced in 1969, the 3000 m in 1972, the 400 m hurdles in 1976, the triple jump in 1990, the hammer throw in 1994, and the pole vault in 1995. The introduction of a women's 3000 m steeplechase in 2000 finally brought the men's and women's programmes to parity.[1]

Separate championship events are held for the 10,000 metres, road running and walks, and cross country running.

Editions

YearDateVenueStadium
align=center colspan=4Organised by the USFSA
188829 AprilParisCroix-Catelan
188930 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
189018 MayParisTuileries
18913 MayParisCroix-Catelan
189222 MayParisCroix-Catelan
189321 & 28 MayParisCroix-Catelan
189427 MayParisCroix-Catelan
189526 MayParisCroix-Catelan
189628 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
189727 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
189826 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
189918 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
190017 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
190123 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
190222 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
190328 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
190426 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
190518 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
19061 JulyParisParc de Saint Cloud
190730 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
19085 JulyParisParc de Saint Cloud
190927 JuneColombes
191026 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
191118 JuneColombes
191216 JuneColombes
191322 JuneColombes
191421 JuneColombes
1915Not held
1916Not held
191724 JuneParisCroix-Catelan
191830 JuneSaint-Cloud
191920 JulyColombes
192017–18 JulyParisStade Pershing
align=center colspan=4Organised by the FFA
192110-11 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
192216-17 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
192314-15 JulyParisStade Pershing
192421-22 JuneColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19254-5 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
192610-11 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19276-7 AugustColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
192814-15 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19296-7 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193019-20 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193118–19 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193225-26 June ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193315–16 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19347–8 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19356-7 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193611–12 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193710–11 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193823-24 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
193922–23 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
1940Not held
194119-20 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
194225-26 July BordeauxStade municipal
194324-25 July LyonStade municipal
1944Not held
194528-29 JulyBordeauxStade municipal
194620-21 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19472-3 August ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
194810–11 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19499-10 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
195022-23 July ColombesStade Jean Bouin
195121-22 JulyColombesStade Jean Bouin
195228-29 June ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
195318-19 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19547-8 August ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19556-7 AugustColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19564-5 August ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
195714–15 SeptemberColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
195826-27 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
195925-26 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196023-24 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196122-23 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196228–29 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196327-28 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196424-25 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196524-25 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196623-24 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196729-30 July ColombesStade Jean Bouin
196827–28 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
196918-20 July ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
197017-19 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
197123-25 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
197221-23 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
197320-22 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
197426-28 July
197527–29 June
197625–27 JuneStadium Lille Métropole
197722–24 JulyNevers
197821–23 JulyParis Stade Sébastien Charléty
197910-12 August Orléans
198027-29 June Villeneuve-d'AscqStadium Lille Métropole
198117–19 JulyMulhouse
19826-8 August ColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
198322-24 July Bordeaux
198429 June-1 July Villeneuve-d'AscqStadium Lille Métropole
198519–21 JulyColombesStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
19868-10 August Aix-les-Bains
19877-9 August AnnecyParc des Sports
198811-13 August Tours
198912-14 August Tours
199027-29 July Blois
199126-28 July Dijon
199226-28 June NarbonneParc des Sports Et de l'Amitié
199323-25 July AnnecyParc des sports
199422-24 July AnnecyParc des sports
199521-23 July ParisStade Sébastien Charléty
199621-23 June BondoufleStade Robert Bobin
19974-6 July Fort-de-FranceStade Pierre-Aliker
19983–5 JulyDijon
199930 July-1 August NiortStade René Gaillard
20004-6 August Stade Charles-Ehrmann
20011–3 JulySaint-Étienne
200213–15 JulySaint-Étienne
200324–26 JulyNarbonneParc des Sports Et de l'Amitié
200416–18 JulyJean-Adret Stadium
200514–16 JulyAngersStade du Lac de Maine
200620–22 JulyTomblaineStade Raymond-Petit
20073–5 AugustNiort
200824–26 JulyStadium Municipal d'Albi
200923–25 JulyAngersLac de Maine Stadium
20103–4 JulyValence, DrômeStade Georges Pompidou
201128–30 JulyAlbiStadium Municipal d'Albi
201215–17 JuneAngersStade du Lac de Maine
201312–14 JulyParisStade Sébastien Charléty
201411–13 JulyReimsStade Georges Hebert
201510–12 JulyVilleneuve-d'AscqStadium Lille Métropole
201624–26 JuneAngersStade du Lac de Maine
201714–16 JulyMarseilleStade Delort
20186–8 JulyAlbiStadium Municipal d'Albi
201926–28 JulySaint-ÉtienneStade Henri-Lux
202012–13 SeptemberAlbiStadium Municipal d'Albi
202125–27 JuneAngersStade du Lac de Maine
202224–26 JuneCaenStade Hélitas
202328–30 JulyAlbiStadium Municipal d'Albi
202429–30 JuneAngersStade Josette et Roger Mikulak

Championships records

Men

EventRecordAthlete/TeamDateChampionshipsPlaceRef
100 m9.88 (+1.9 m/s)Jimmy VicautJuly 20162016 ChampionshipsAngers
200 m20.16Christophe LemaitreJuly 20102010 ChampionshipsValence
800 m1:45.57Pierre-Ambroise BosseJuly 20142014 ChampionshipsReims
Shot put20.75 mFrederic Dagee26 June 20212021 ChampionshipsAngers[3]

Women

EventRecordAthlete/TeamDateChampionshipsPlaceRef
800 m1:58.71Rénelle Lamote26 June 20222022 ChampionshipsCaen[4]
100 m hurdles12.56 (+1.2 m/s) Cindy Billaud12 July 20142014 ChampionshipsReims[5]
400 m hurdles53.71Louise Maraval30 June 20242024 ChampionshipsAngers[6]
3000 m steeplechase9:29.78Alice Finot29 June 20242024 ChampionshipsAngers[7]
Pole vault4.73 mNinon Guillon-RomarinJuly 20182018 ChampionshipsAlbi
Long jump6.86 mÉloyse LesueurJuly 20142014 ChampionshipsReims
Hammer throw73.85 mAlexandra Tavernier26 June 20212021 ChampionshipsAngers[8]
Javelin throw61.49 mAlexie Alaïs27 July 20192019 ChampionshipsSaint-Étienne
10000 m walk (track)44:08.73Clémence Beretta26 June 20222022 ChampionshipsCaen[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/fra.htm French Championships
  2. http://cdm.athle.com/asp.net/espaces.html/html.aspx?id=9226 Championnats de France
  3. News: Fajdek throws 82.82m in Poznan, Gong gets 20.39m world lead in Chongqing. World Athletics. 27 June 2021. 13 July 2021.
  4. News: Diaz, Mitton and Richards impress on busy national championships weekend. World Athletics. 26 June 2022. 16 July 2022.
  5. News: Athlétisme: Cindy Billaud égale le record de France du 100 m haies. Libération. 12 July 2014. 16 July 2022.
  6. Web site: National championships round-up: Nugent and Thompson impress in Jamaica. World Athletics. 30 June 2024. 2 July 2024.
  7. Web site: National championships round-up: Nugent and Thompson impress in Jamaica. World Athletics. 30 June 2024. 2 July 2024.
  8. News: Lang and Vukovic both clear 1.97m for national high jump records. EAA. 28 June 2021. 8 July 2021.
  9. Web site: Championnats de France Elite 10.000m track walk men & women. marciadalmondo.com. 24 June 2022. 30 August 2022.