10 km du Neuf delivers a festive 21st edition with 3,000 runners

The starting gun for the 10 km du Neuf went off around 15 minutes late on Sunday, May 31. The field of 2,500 runners took nearly five minutes to stream past before making way for the speedsters. The first 5K finishers quickly crossed the line, located exactly where the race had started, on Boulevard Haussmann at the corner of Rue Le Peletier. The 10K winners followed soon after. Then the tension rose slightly.

“ There were three of us out front and we ended up getting lost,” said Rachid Khemissi, a two-time defending champion who was disoriented at the finish. “It’s a bit frustrating because my watch says I ran 9.2 km,” added Lorea Irigaray, the women’s winner. A few course mix-ups tarnished the reputation of this emblematic race in Paris’s 9th arrondissement. But not enough to spoil the party, especially for the children, who loved covering 1.5 km to the precious cheers of their parents.

An imperfect organization, but a human one

A runner who also helps organize the event, Adrien Broult offered his heartfelt apologies for the morning’s mishaps. “If I’m showing up to run a 10K, it’s not to run 9K,” he said after the race.

But sometimes things simply do not go according to plan. Broult had covered the course five times before the gun went off, by motorbike and bicycle, riding in both directions. He had checked that every barrier was in place and that the roads were closed to traffic. Still, one marshal moved a barrier at the 6K mark, completely distorting the men’s podium. Fortunately, the mistake was corrected very quickly and affected only the three leaders. “I stopped six times,” said Rachid, a runner from Chartres who has been a loyal participant in this Paris event. “After that, I just carried on as best I could.”

Aware of the disappointment caused, particularly among the elite runners welcomed into a preferential start pen for the first time, Adrien renewed his apologies to those affected. “You have to accept that there are times when you can’t control everything,” he added. “But the frustration is huge and, for some runners, I’m gutted.”

Another small mistake frustrated some finishers. On Rue de Clichy, a wrong turn probably shortened the course slightly. But can you really blame the volunteers? These generous people give their time freely, “especially since Paris 2024 opened up new opportunities,” stressed Babette Valenca-Calderero, who was assigned to the medal ceremony. Some volunteers even pulled out at the last minute: nearly 100 no-shows were recorded on Sunday.

A morning in PSG colours

From 9 a.m. onward, it was hard to know where to look: PSG shirts were everywhere. Supporters of the Paris club, crowned European champions for the second consecutive time on Saturday night, still turned out in force across the different races.

“Waking up was rough,” said Philippe, who had come with six teammates from Eightlines, a Paris running club. “We went to bed sometime between 3 and 4 a.m. We celebrated properly!” They all looked drained by the effort, despite there being nothing at stake. Two of them, Copenhagen Marathon finishers, were already preparing to push their limits again on Sunday at the adidas 10K Paris. For now, though, it was time to rest for these football fans, who proudly wore their beloved club’s colours that morning.

A remarkable commitment to solidarity

“All the event’s proceeds will go to children with disabilities. Today, you’re running 5 or 10 km, but for them, it’s huge,” reminded Aïda Touihri, a journalist and explorer who served as patron of the 21st Lions Paris 9 Run. This sporting and community event supports inclusive education through the Helen Keller Fund, named after the pioneer of disability rights who was deaf and blind.

Eight young people from the Habitats Jeunes Belfort association were among the participants. “They created the project from start to finish,” explained Karima, one of their mentors. “We came for the weekend. We went sightseeing and took part in this sporting event. Everyone has a different goal. They prepared for the race and are aiming for specific times.” One of the young women, who took part in the 1.5 km Foulées des Familles, admitted: “I’m not really sporty, but this is a real experience!”

A race built first and foremost around camaraderie

In the end, performance was not really the point. For 5K winner Loïs Rabergeau, it was primarily a new experience. “I’d never run a 5K before, so winning my first one was pretty cool,” said the track athlete, whose 800m personal best is 1:55. “I’ll be back, but next time I’ll run one I’ve actually trained for, because I definitely felt those two pints and that kebab from the night before this morning.” The first woman home, Sidonie Pellet, is also an athlete. She is considerably younger, however, competing for La Salésienne in the under-15 1,000m.

Even among the elite runners, frustration gave way to celebration. You do not turn down a podium, especially when it comes with a bouquet of flowers, a framed course map and a medal. The medal is the same for every finisher, while the monument depicted on it changes each year. “I’m training for a marathon, so it had been a long time since I’d run fast,” said Margaux Hemono, her eyes lighting up. “I’m happy to run my favourite race and have it end this way.”

Marie-Louise Monamy, a regular at the event, was no less delighted: “I had much more fun than last year. It felt like there were far fewer hills, the course was a little shorter, but we’ll take it, and I’m very happy to be here.” Lorea Irigaray also enjoyed running through the streets of her neighbourhood: “I live in the 9th, and we went right past my place! It was a race I’d been wanting to do, one I wanted to enjoy.” She was accompanied by PaceMe founder Pierre Monnet, whose platform allows every runner to have support on race day.