Quentin Chiarisoli, powered by an all-consuming passion for athletics

A light breeze rippled the tall broadleaf trees lining the black track at La Gauthière, north of Clermont-Ferrand, as Quentin Chiarisoli crossed the stadium infield, his Nike Zoom Flys in hand. Red, with flame patterns. Naturally. In the background stood the imposing reinforced-concrete test tracks at the Michelin Cataroux-Les Pistes industrial site. Completing the scene was the majestic Puy-de-Dôme, rising to around 1,465 metres and keeping watch over the capital of the Auvergne volcanoes. On this Wednesday morning in May, the ASM Omnisports sports complex was almost deserted. A few runners turned lap after lap beneath the hesitant sunshine, using their lunch break and leaving the smell of rain-soaked track in their wake. The hum of passing cars was muffled by the sound of shoes striking the springy surface. The charcoal-coloured athletics track, made from tyres, contrasted with the vivid colours of the huge mural depicting athletes in action. “I’m doing 12 x 300m, relaxed, with 50 seconds’ recovery, to get my legs moving before the Interclubs this weekend,” explained the Clermont Auvergne Athlétisme athlete, whose passion shows no sign of fading.

Quentin’s day was already mapped out. As was most of his life, for that matter. The athlete coached by Badredine Zioini and Cyrille Merle is diligent, committed and modest. “I finished a 24-hour shift this morning, at seven,” said the man who works as a professional firefighter for the Puy-de-Dôme SDIS at the Gerzat station. “I’ll do my session, pick up my daughter from the childminder, then spend the afternoon with her before going out for another run,” he added with a smile.

A demanding double life, balancing two burning passions with everyday life as a young father. “I started out with the junior firefighters in Brioude, in Haute-Loire. Normally, you can’t join the fire service that young, but I was so drawn to it that I pushed to become a volunteer earlier,” recalled the man from Brioude. At 17, young Quentin continued as a volunteer firefighter in his home town, alongside a two-year civil engineering diploma in Grenoble. “I wasn’t that interested in my studies; I was mainly pushed into them by the people around me. What I wanted was to become a professional firefighter,” he said. “My university results weren’t great,” admitted the former student. “I didn’t pass my first year. I only had a few subjects to retake to move on, but things got even worse after that.”

Quentin Chiarisoli trained alongside his studies to prepare for the military entrance exams. He had one goal in mind: joining the ranks of the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion. The elite of the firefighting world. It was an ambition that demanded the highest standards and total commitment to get through the long series of tests. “I joined the French Navy in Marseille. That’s where I started my career, and it’s stayed with me ever since,” smiled the Victory Track Club athlete.

That was followed by six weeks of military training, where recruits learned the basics of the army and navy. Then came a second, 12-week course focused specifically on firefighting. “We still kept up the military basics, and it was very strict. We were training all the time, day and night, weekdays and weekends, with marching drills, military songs and weapons handling.” He spent just under three years in Marseille before passing the professional firefighter exam. That allowed him to return to the Auvergne, first to Le Puy-en-Velay and then to Clermont-Ferrand.

A decisive meeting for his running future

Sport has always been part of Quentin Chiarisoli’s life. First came football, from the age of five to 18, with a little running on the side. Then came athletics, initially to follow his parents, who took part in local trail races, but also to escape the boredom of boarding school during his final year of high school. The man from Haute-Loire had his breakthrough after arriving in the Alpine capital for his diploma. “It was in Grenoble that I met a great coach, Taoufik Boukrouma, who really made me fall in love with athletics, especially the track. Before that, I had only done basic running.”

A year and a half later, the future firefighter moved to Marseille to pursue his professional dream. Fitting athletics into his new routine proved impossible. “I had to stop running for ten months because it was impossible to do both alongside the military training,” explained the athlete, who now lives near Clermont-Ferrand. “The early days at the Marseille station were physically and mentally very tough, with an intense shift pattern, but I loved it. I have no regrets.”

After ten months away from running and with his training completed, Quentin Chiarisoli realised he had gained 10 kilos, “10 kilos of muscle.” Getting back into serious training was “very difficult, even more than a year later.” He completed his sessions alone, guided remotely by his Grenoble-based coach. His unusual schedule meant running only four or five times a week, “with very few races during the year, two 10Ks and a few military cross-country races.”

A regular presence on national firefighters’ podiums, the runner was transferred to the Auvergne in 2019, after passing the exam to become a professional firefighter in the territorial civil service. That was the year he joined the group led by Badredine Zioini and Cyrille Merle and finally established a genuine training routine, while still holding down a demanding job. “I’d just finished moving to Clermont, and Cyrille suggested I join the group after a meeting at La Gauthière stadium. We’d known each other for a long time, so it happened naturally. I was immediately up for it,” recalled the middle-distance runner. “I never left the group after joining. Cyrille was a very good runner, Badre was a former international, and there are some excellent athletes in the team too. I’m delighted to be part of this collective.”

The early days at the Marseille station were physically and mentally very tough, with an intense shift pattern, but I loved it. I have no regrets.

His coaches take enormous pride in him, as Badredine Zioini explains. “In our group, some people stand out for their performances, but above all for their values: humility, respect and determination. Quentin is one of them. He’s come a long way since we first met him at the ASM Meeting. That day, I was struck by his running efficiency, and Cyrille and I thought there was something we could do with him. He immediately agreed to join our group, which made us very happy. Despite his wins and his progress, he has always remained true to himself. He has never forgotten where he came from and he genuinely likes helping others. Quentin is always there for the group, and he inspires us enormously. He has taken a huge step forward and joined the elite of French runners. Quentin is an example to all of us.”

Adapting his training load around shift work

Balancing sport and work is a genuine challenge. The runner remembers how, early on, performing at a high level was impossible with the Marseille shift pattern. The same applied in Clermont-Ferrand. “I always wanted to do the sessions exactly as planned, regardless of the night I’d worked, the shifts or how intense they were. Easing off or moving a session was unthinkable. I got injured a lot during that period. The worst was a serious stress fracture.” Since that injury, the hard-working athlete has adapted his programme with his two coaches according to his professional workload. “I manage the two much better now, and my coaches know me even better. We’re constantly adapting. For example, I can turn a 3,000m-specific session into a standard VO2 max workout if I haven’t slept much,” said the runner, who took his first strides in the colours of Club Athletic Brioude.

The athlete regrets not being able to follow a fixed training routine or complete a multi-week programme without disruption, since his shift days are never the same. “I think it does affect performance,” he admitted. Depending on the number of call-outs, he may get only a few hours’ sleep. “Sometimes I feel great for a session even when I’ve slept only two or three hours. But then I recover badly and miss the next workout because of the accumulated fatigue. I can’t tell myself I’ve got a VO2 max session every Tuesday or hill reps every Monday; it varies too much.” That has never stopped the Clermont-based runner from stringing together kilometres every day, sometimes twice a day, reaching 110–130 kilometres a week, and “less during racing periods.” He takes one rest day a week, or every ten days, “depending on fatigue.”

Despite this unusual life, the runner has established himself among France’s leading middle-distance runners over several seasons. “It’s something I’m proud of,” and it drives Quentin to “look ahead” and “try to catch the runners who are better than me in races.” The proof came at the highly competitive Prom’Classic in Nice at the start of 2025, where he finished ninth in a blistering 28:58, a National 1-level performance. “I think I’m the only person in the top 10 of that race with a full-time job on the side,” suggested the modest runner, who finished 10th in the short cross-country race at the 2025 French Championships in Challans.

© photo credit

© photo credit

© photo credit

© photo credit

This winter, he reached the eagerly awaited final of the French Elite Indoor Championships 3,000m in Miramas, thanks to an astonishing personal best of 7:57.07 (N1). Only 12 runners from across France were selected for the final. The competitor remains level-headed. “The performances are going crazy every weekend. You can be 10th on the French rankings one week and 30th the next. Everyone is improving very quickly at the moment; you mustn’t let go or put limits on yourself.” As the athlete progresses, his first partnerships and various forms of support are following. “This year I’m supported by the excellent Distance store, which provides me with Nike kit. My club and my ASM section help with travel.”

The opportunity to become a full-time athlete would make Quentin Chiarisoli think, but he would never leave his job for good. “If I ever get that chance, I might try it for two or three years to see how far I can go at the highest level with every condition in place, but I would never give up my profession. Whatever happens, it would only be temporary; I’d return to work afterwards.” Working in the public sector allows him to take a career break for several years, or switch to half-time or part-time work. “I chose to build my professional and personal life before my life as an athlete, but now I’m settled and I’d like to push my abilities as far as possible without setting limits,” said the runner, who can count on the support of his colleagues.

Planning and organising his racing calendar can sometimes feel like solving a puzzle. “You never know in advance whether you’ll get accepted into a meeting, which means I often have to book leave at the last minute,” explained the athlete coached by Badredine Zioini and Cyrille Merle. “I swap a lot of shifts with my colleagues, so it takes some organisation, but they’re accommodating and understanding. They don’t criticise me for going out for a run around the station during our exercise session when we’re not on a call. Quite the opposite: they’re very curious about my training, and I feel encouraged to keep going.”

Because of his packed schedule, three things are, in his view, “impossible to fit in at the moment” if he is to reach his full potential: strength and conditioning, which he tries to squeeze in “at the station, alone, with whatever equipment I can find”; mental preparation and a weekly treatment with a physio.

A happy arrival and a new source of motivation

Quentin Chiarisoli’s life changed in March 2024, when his daughter, Jade, was born. Just three days before he won the French short cross-country team title with Clermont Auvergne Athlétisme. “I ran the cross-country race the day after leaving the maternity ward,” smiled the cross-country runner. It was a new challenge, “life at a hundred miles an hour,” but the middle-distance runner sees no downside. He “adjusts his schedule” and can count on his partner Océane, who is “fully behind” him. Since the happy arrival, the man from Brioude has trained alone more often so he can look after his daughter in the evening while waiting for his partner to return from work. “It’s a bit hard not to train with the group as much as before, even though I go back whenever I can. My coaches support me as much as possible; that makes a big difference.”

Having a child gives me an extra bit of soul in everyday life and during my races. I often think about my daughter when I’m running; it gives me strength.

This major change has given the runner an “extra bit of soul in everyday life” and in competition. The proof came in Metz, at a prestigious indoor meeting. The middle-distance runner had “worked very hard” the week before the race, leaving him little time with Jade. “It was difficult emotionally to leave for Metz again that weekend. I thought about it during the race and told myself I couldn’t let go, that I hadn’t left without seeing my daughter for nothing.” 7:57.07 later, the passionate runner crossed the 3,000m finish line after breaking another formidable barrier.

His 2024 outdoor season, his best on the track to date, speaks for itself. “Since I had my daughter, I’ve missed a lot of sessions but almost no races, and it was the best year of my athletics career over every distance.” It was a relief after several barren years, “without much enjoyment.” Specialising in the 1500m (3:43.03) proved a turning point after disappointing 5,000m races in 2023 and an abandoned marathon build-up. The decision paid off with an appearance at the French Elite 1500m Championships during an Olympic year. “It was incredible. I loved it. I discovered myself over that distance, even though I don’t think I have the best natural qualities for the 1500m.” For the past 18 months, nothing has stopped the elite athlete, who continues to improve each season and dazzle the small world of athletics.

Passion for athletics

Quentin Chiarisoli is driven by “pure athletics”: track, road and cross-country, without necessarily favouring one over the others. His favourite session? “A proper track-specific workout with plenty of people, following the coach on the bike, or a long threshold run along the Allier from home.” The athlete is not hard to please, finding his sweet spot across every distance from 1500m to 10K.

He has even tried trail running, winning last year’s 20km du Sancy by a wide margin. Variety is what allows him to be well-rounded across every discipline. “The best French runners are excellent at all three, like Habz, who can run 1:43 for 800m and 27:40 for 10K on his own.” The marathon can wait a little longer. The , on the other hand, probably not. His experience at the legendary Marseille-Cassis, where he finished eighth in 1:06:32, just behind a certain Nicolas Navarro, won him over. “As long as I’m running fast over shorter distances, I’d like to stay there. I can see guys over 35 who are still improving, so I’ll give myself time to build mileage and move up to the marathon.”

The man from Haute-Loire plans to line up every year for his favourite race, the Corrida de Brioude, in his home town. It does not matter if a “big 10K” takes place on the same day; the runner prioritises this local race and always wants to return. “I started running at this event, first with my football mates, and I’ve taken part every year since unless I was injured or had work commitments.” Other races are also essential in his eyes, such as the Volvic cross-country race. He increasingly enjoys changing up his usual programme, as he did by discovering Marseille-Cassis this year. “I’d like to take part in a different classic every year to break the routine of always chasing a time.”

The firefighter has no specific dreams, other than “going as far as possible without regrets or limits,” while keeping enjoyment at the centre of a balanced sporting, family and professional life. One thing is certain: Quentin Chiarisoli is not finished setting the clock alight or leaving his mark on French middle-distance running.