World Championships 100 km: Floriane Hot Shines with a Golden Smile in Bangalore

Floriane Hot has impressively retained her world title by winning in 7:08:43 during the World Championships 100 km in Bangalore, India. Two years after her first victory in Berlin, the Frenchwoman successfully completed this race she has always mastered. A double victory for the French team, with Marie-Ange Brumelot taking second place on the podium in 7:12:22. Among the men, disappointment prevailed with Guillaume Ruel dropping out halfway due to ankle pain.

A Race Full of Intelligence and Patience

Determination pays off, and Floriane Hot is proof of that. Just 18 months after the birth of her son Nino, she clinched her second consecutive gold medal at the World Championships 100 km, following her initial victory in Berlin in 2022. These 100 km World Championships in India promised challenging conditions with high temperatures and high humidity, and they delivered. Despite an early morning start, the temperature was already over 20 degrees, and the humidity added to the difficulty. This did not deter the 33-year-old from Aix-en-Provence, accustomed to the intense sun of southern France.

Guided by her coach Jérémy Cabadet, she expertly managed her race from start to finish, completing the 4.86 km loops. For much of the race, she was behind British runner Sarah Webster, the new European 100 km record holder with a time of 7:03:48 (set in Perth on March 24). However, shortly before the 80th kilometer, Floriane Hot took the lead with wisdom and intelligence. Her partner Nicolas Navarro, her parents, brother, and sister were there to support her, giving her the strength to achieve her goal. The Athlé Provence Clubs athlete retained her title with an impressive time of 7:08:43, averaging 14 km/h. Remarkably, she kept smiling throughout the race, as seen in her Instagram stories, seemingly unfazed by the intense effort.

Marie-Ange Brumelot Wins Silver

France was well represented on the women’s podium this weekend. Marie-Ange Brumelot claimed the silver medal in 7:12:12, ahead of Sarah Webster, who finished third in 7:19:18. Further down the rankings, in 15th place, was the Frenchwoman Louise-Marie Thevenin-Lebran with a time of 8:06:00. The French women were thus crowned world champions by teams, ahead of Great Britain and the United States, the reigning champions.

Disappointment for Guillaume Ruel

In the men’s race, disappointment was the prevailing sentiment as Guillaume Ruel, one of the favorites, had to withdraw between his 9th and 10th laps due to ankle pain. The European record holder for 50 km (2:47:23 in Pretoria in 2022) was considered a contender for the podium. Ultimately, it was Japan’s Jumpei Yamaguchi who took the gold in 6:12:17. Benjamin Polin, the top French finisher, placed 15th in a difficult race where he never gave up.