Etienne Daguinos delivered a breathtaking performance at the Urban Trail de Lille on November 16, setting a new European 10km record with a time of 27:04.
His achievement surpasses the previous mark of 27:07 held by compatriot Jimmy Gressier, firmly establishing Daguinos as one of Europe’s elite distance runners.
The French athlete entered the race in peak form, fresh off a personal half-marathon best of 59:46, which places him joint-10th on the European all-time rankings for 13.1 miles.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Daguinos said, “I cannot believe it. Some people may have expected this, but I didn’t. After my half-marathon in Valencia, I knew I was in good shape, but breaking 27:30 and setting a record still feels unreal.”
Daguinos executed his race with remarkable consistency, running identical 5km splits of 13:32. His record-breaking run also saw him dominate a highly competitive field.
Norway’s Narve Gilje Nordås set a Norwegian 10km record with 27:31, while Germany’s Mohamed Abdilaahi posted 27:40, marking the fastest time in German history. Both now rank among the top 10 on Europe’s all-time 10km list.
This season has been transformative for European road running, with six of the eight fastest 10km times by European men recorded this year.
Such performances have shifted the landscape, relegating Mo Farah’s former European record of 27:44 from 2010 to 13th on the continent’s all-time list.
Daguinos, who occasionally trains at Font Romeu’s high-altitude facilities and has a background in trail running, is now seen as the leading contender to break the 27-minute barrier.
This milestone has been achieved by only 29 athletes, all hailing from Africa, making it one of the sport’s most exclusive benchmarks.
With such remarkable achievements this season, European distance running seems on the brink of another record-breaking year in 2025.
