© Corentin Baudry / STADION-ACTU
Bordeaux Half Marathon 2025: Jason Pointeau, Mélody Julien, Hugo Hay, and Javote Gueret shine
French road runners Jason Pointeau (1:03:21) and Mélody Julien (1:09:14) delivered brilliant victories at the Bordeaux Half Marathon this Sunday. Over the 10 km distance, Hugo Hay (27:43) and Javote Gueret (32:04) shone by breaking the course record. With new routes, outstanding performances, and record attendance, the city of Bordeaux confirmed its standing in the running world. The 24,000 participants in attendance would certainly agree.
This Sunday, November 9, the city nicknamed “the Port of the Moon” brought together specialists of the 10 km des Quais de Bordeaux and the half marathon. This new format drew large crowds for the event organized by the Stade Bordelais club. The race routes wound through the city center, extending beyond the main avenues. Participants did not cross the famous Pont de Pierre or the Jacques Chaban-Delmas bridge, making the courses even faster. These adjustments did nothing to diminish the charm of this prestigious event. This year, a contingent of France’s top athletes gathered to battle it out — and all the records, both men’s and women’s, fell.
| Hugo Hay, the king’s return
Etienne Daguinos ’s 2024 time of 27:49 has fallen. The one responsible is none other than Hugo Hay, Olympic finalist in the 5000 m at the Paris Games. This victory holds a very special meaning for him, as he had been sidelined from competition for over a year due to various health issues. The athlete from Sèvre Bocage AC made his comeback in style, clocking 27:43 — the tenth-fastest French performance of all time. His former personal best of 30:53 (set in 2018) is now just a distant memory. The French international (with 11 national team selections) crossed the finish line with a comfortable lead over his rivals, marking a triumphant return to top form.
Behind him, Ireland’s Jack O’Leary (28:13) and 2024 French 5 km champion Clément Touati (28:14) completed the podium. The records kept falling one after another. The French under-18 record for the distance was broken, with Malo Kerhamon clocking 30:17 (previous record: 30:35 in 2024, held by Milo Serrao). Among the under-23 athletes, Pierre Boudy ran 28:20 to finish fifth, achieving the third-fastest French performance of all time in the category, behind Julien Wanders (27:32 in 2018) and Jimmy Gressier (28:12 in 2018). He was followed closely by Antoine Puydebois, who ran 28:51 — the seventh-fastest time ever recorded in Europe among juniors.
The level of the 10 km was exceptional: 49 runners broke the 30-minute barrier, and 16 ran under 29 minutes. The 100th finisher crossed the line in 31:05. The 2025 edition will be remembered as one of the finest in the event’s history.
| Javote Gueret, the local star on top
The women’s race also delivered a magnificent show. Javote Gueret confirmed her excellent form after an altitude training camp in Font-Romeu. Showing remarkable strength, the local favorite claimed victory in style, setting a new course record in Bordeaux with a time of 32:04.
As expected, the rising star — who has been gaining momentum since last year, particularly after her bronze medal in the 5000 m at the French Elite Championships — delivered an outstanding performance on home soil. The Bordeaux native erased her previous best of 33:16 from the record books, as well as the former course record of 33:15 for the 10 km des Quais de Bordeaux, previously held by Alice Mitard, who finished second this year in 32:25. Third place went to the Breton runner Marie Lohéac-Bouchard, who clocked 32:49, her fastest time ever over the distance.
| An ambitious goal for Mélody Julien
Just a few minutes earlier, the half marathon had also lived up to expectations. The favorite, Mélody Julien — who competed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games — had announced her intention to chase the French record for the distance, set at 1:08:20. The marathoner managed to maintain that pace until the 10th kilometer before slowing down. Even though she didn’t reach her target, the native of Castres dominated the race, winning convincingly in 1:09:14 — a new personal best, improving on her previous 1:10:26 set just a few weeks earlier in Vannes. Inès Hamoudi finished far behind in 1:13:16, followed by Justine Chagnaud in 1:15:48.
| Jason Pointeau preparing for the Valencia Marathon
Among the men, the top French finisher from the 2025 Paris Marathon was the first to raise his arms after breaking away from his rivals before the 20th kilometer. The favorite, a former rugby player, claimed victory in 1:03:21 — a promising benchmark for the physical education teacher returning from an altitude training camp in Font-Romeu, as he targets a sub-2:10 finish at the Valencia Marathon on December 7. Jason Pointeau finished ahead of Yohan Zaradzki (1:03:35), the 2025 Belgian marathon champion, and Téo Dubuc, who took third place in 1:04:05.
| Popular fervor
24,000 participants took to the streets of Bordeaux, a testament to the popular enthusiasm surrounding the event. Behind the elite runners, everyone found an opportunity to push their limits through one of the three race formats on offer: the Mutuelle Ociane Matmut Bordeaux Half Marathon, the 5 km Matmut #BornToMove, and the 10 km of Bordeaux.
The Bordeaux Half Marathon was highly anticipated. This major running event in the city drew huge crowds of passionate runners. With an even faster course and exceptional depth of field, the event delighted the roughly 24,000 participants and the enthusiastic spectators who filled the streets of the Gironde capital.
✔ All the results of the Bordeau Semi-Marathon
Emma BERT
Journaliste
