Prom’Classic 2025: Sarah Madeleine and Azeddine Habz lead the pack

On this first Sunday of January, Nice transformed from a seaside resort into a vast open-air stadium. The 25th edition of the Prom’Classic opened a new chapter in history along the 10 kilometers of the Promenade des Anglais.

In the men’s category, Azeddine Habz dominated the course. With feline-like strides and an almost audacious pace, the Frenchman breezed through the race in 27:44, breaking the previous event record. This time ranks him among the best French performers in history over this distance. After making his mark in the 1500 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Habz has proven his endurance over longer distances. Trailing him were Morocco’s Soufiyan Bouqantar (27:51) and Baptiste Jard (28:47), rounding out a podium of fierce competitors.

Sarah Madeleine, an unyielding pace

In the women’s race, Sarah Madeleine dominated her opponents without giving them a chance. With a time of 31:15, she tied the French record for the 10k, held since 2019 by Liv Westphal. More than just a victory, it was a showcase of her prowess. Madeleine, also an Olympian, outperformed the competition and secured a time that will remain memorable. Behind her, Nina Chydenius (32:14) and Coraline Maamouri (32:27) acknowledged the gap.

Record-breaking crowd

The Prom’Classic is also, and above all, a popular festivity. With 13,000 runners at the start, the event smashed its participation record. A staggering number, especially when remembering there were just 7,500 in 2023. Among the standout performances, young Martin Hubner captured attention. At just 19, he set a new French junior record with a stunning time of 29:10. This performance already places him among the emerging stars of French athletics. On the other end of the spectrum, Charles Struyven, 91 years old, demonstrated that age is just a number. Finishing the 10 kilometers in 1:48:31, he reminded everyone that performance is universal.