© Amandine Martin / Marathons.com
Paris Marathon 2026: Jimmy Gressier, Michou, Laure Manaudou… everything you didn’t see
13/04/2026 08:31Over 42.195 km, the Paris Marathon didn’t just crown fast times. Between running princesses, science-driven challenges, sleepless nights and outlandish costumes, the race revealed another side of running—freer, more unexpected, almost outside the usual frame.
Among thousands of bibs, it was hard to miss a dark silhouette straight out of Star Wars. At the Paris Marathon, a runner dressed as Darth Vader moved forward, unfazed, as if the 42.195 km were simply part of the script. Behind the mask, no forced performance—just another way of inhabiting the race.
A little further along, the atmosphere shifted completely. Some participants paused mid-race for an improvised game of beer pong. Cups set up, shots attempted between kilometres, bursts of laughter cutting through the fatigue. The same spirit appeared a few metres later, where a dartboard turned a refreshment station into a playful break. In the same vein, Isaure Delhay delivered one of the day’s most striking images. At 22, a medical student and passionate runner, she didn’t just take part—she showed up in a red ball gown, tiara on her head, like a princess setting off to conquer 42 km.
Far from a publicity stunt, the approach carried a message. Finishing her marathon in 3:50 in such an improbable outfit, she aimed to draw attention to a rarely highlighted topic: palliative care. A banner attached to her outfit reminded everyone why she was running, turning every stride into a statement.
| When the marathon becomes a double challenge
Among the most surprising stories, Segan Bouicher embodied the spirit of the day. Torn between curiosity and personal challenge, he chose not to decide at all: run a marathon while also completing a physiological test. The goal was simple in theory—find out whether the infamous “30 km wall” is more physical or mental. The result: a strong 2:46:47 finish and 583rd place. A performance that was as scientific as it was athletic, carried out in a fully experimental setting.
| Short nights and wild bets
Another unusual storyline came from Gambi. The French rapper pushed extremes over a single weekend: a late-night show in Nantes ending around 3 a.m., a few hours of travel, then a start line on the Champs-Élysées to tackle the full 42.195 km. Far from ideal conditions, he still completed the marathon in 3:26, averaging around 4:51/km. A solid effort, almost secondary to the overall narrative—somewhere between stage lights and a barely recovered start line.
| Familiar faces… back to being anonymous runners
Alongside him on the start line, several well-known names stood out. Michou, used to millions of online views, found himself in a different reality: that of a first marathon, where every kilometre is earned the hard way. Former Miss France Diane Leyre also swapped the spotlight for pure effort, encouraged along the course by Sylvie Tellier. In another register, Laure Manaudou left the swimming pool for the asphalt, facing a very different kind of endurance.
Jimmy Gressier, one of France’s leading distance runners with growing ambitions on the marathon distance, also lined up, as did Matthias Dandois, multiple BMX world champion, stepping into a peloton where status quickly disappears.
Even cellist Gautier Capuçon experienced a different kind of performance—no stage, no orchestra, just rhythm dictated by the road and personal sensations.
| Between humour and unexpected performances
Some runners embraced originality without giving up performance. Axel Ramponi completed the marathon in a three-piece suit in 2:54:47, slightly slower than his 2:49 from the previous year. Behind the playful image, a real, disciplined effort. And then there were those who didn’t run but still shaped the day. Comedian Arnaud Tsamère lined the course, alternating encouragements and jokes. Faces tighten, then relax again—sometimes a few seconds are enough to restart a stride.
| The marathon, raw version
Amid the lighter moments, reality also broke through. One runner twisted his ankle and was treated by emergency services. The story could have ended there—but he got back up and kept moving. Further along, a 92-year-old man crossed the finish line. Japan’s Koichi Kitabatake completed the Paris Marathon for the seventh time in 7:21:37, almost in silence. A performance that goes far beyond time and perfectly captures what a marathon represents.
The distance remains the same: 42.195 km. But everything around it keeps evolving. On Sunday, Paris hosted far more than a race. It became a mosaic of characters, stories and ways of experiencing effort. Between humour, performance and suspended moments, everyone wrote their own version of the marathon. And in the end, that might be what stays the longest after the finish line.
✔ All results from the 2026 Paris Marathon
Dorian VUILLET
Journalist
