© treize4
Prom’Classic 2026: European record for Jana Van Lent over 10 km in Nice
The first weekend of January delivered a wave of standout performances. The 2026 Prom’Classic regarded as the most competitive and probably the most anticipated 10 km race in France, lived up to expectations. Fifteen thousand runners lined up for the 26th edition, which reached an unprecedented level. Belgian athlete Jana Van Lent claimed the European record with a time of 30:10, while rising talent Gaston Rohmer took the men’s victory.
After the New Year’s Eve races, the Prom’Classic kicked off the 2026 racing calendar in spectacular fashion. Simply walking around Nice in the days leading up to the event was enough to feel the buzz surrounding this unmissable race. All race bibs had sold out within just a few days, well ahead of the big day.
On January 4, at daybreak, streams of runners were already filling the streets of Nice, still wrapped in darkness. With temperatures around six degrees Celsius and an icy north wind, conditions on the Promenade des Anglais were close to ideal. In this beautiful Côte d’Azur setting — between the Mediterranean Sea, palm trees, and the Théâtre de Verdure — fifteen thousand runners set off in successive waves on a roadway entirely reserved for them. The course was an extremely fast out-and-back route, packed with talent, offering views over the Baie des Anges on the way out and toward the Mercantour mountains after the turnaround.
| European record for Belgian runner Jana Van Lent
The Prom’Classic, organized by Azur Sport Organisation, is so popular for good reason. Year after year the times get faster and the depth of the field grows more impressive. That success was perfectly illustrated by the outstanding performance of Belgian runner Jana Van Lent, age 24, who took the European record for the distance in 30:10, improving her personal best by 1:07. In doing so she erased the mark of Eilish McColgan, 30:19 in 2022 in a women-only race, as well as the time of legendary Paula Radcliffe, 30:21 in a mixed race in 2003. It is a world-class performance for a female athlete, ahead of many very strong national-level male runners.
Local runner Alessia Zarbo from Antibes followed in 31:11, just eleven seconds off her own French national record. The double French record holder over 10 km and the half marathon delivered a superb performance after an exceptional 2025 season. The podium was completed by Anaëlle Guillonnet from Lyon in 31:37, who continues to make steady progress, as shown by this seventh-fastest French performance ever and her recent first selection for the France senior national team, which she capped with 12th place at the European Cross Country Championships last December.
Close behind, marathon French champion of 2025 Mathilde Sénéchal and France Elite 2025 5000 m champion Aude Clavier both set personal bests, clocking 32:17 and 32:22 respectively. Also noteworthy, junior triathlete Laly Porentru equaled the French under-20 record with a time of 33:00.
| Resounding victory for Gaston Rohmer
The heir to Azeddine Habz was highly anticipated, and the honors went to promising French athlete Gaston Rohmer, age 20, already twice selected for the national cross-country team at youth level. A multiple French champion as a cadet, junior, and U23 on the road, the runner from Alsace claimed the top step of the podium. Representing Vendenheim Athlé, Gaston Rohmer finished ahead of triathlete Martin Hubner, also an U23 athlete, in 28:43, and Nice native Raphaël Montoya, a two-time French champion over 10 km, in 28:44. Young male athletes clearly showed outstanding early-season form, illustrated by Louis Michel from Clermont Auvergne Athlétisme, sixth place in 28:52. Tokyo Olympian Nicolas-Marie Daru, seventh in the world final of the 3000 m steeplechase, clocked 28:46 to take fourth place.
Along Nice’s legendary seaside avenue, the race delivered an outstanding elite field: 12 runners under 29 minutes, 62 under 30 minutes, 148 under 31 minutes, 267 under 32 minutes, 807 under 35 minutes, and as many as 2,328 under 40 minutes. Once again, the Prom’Classic proved worthy of its reputation as the densest and fastest 10 km race in France.
✔ All the results of the Prom’Classic 2026
Emma BERT
Journaliste
