Jean-Lous Esnault, five years ago, EMACI Torun POL 2015, European M75 3.000m record (© A.H)
Jean-Louis Esnault achieved a major performance at the French Indoor Masters championships, improving the world M80 1.500m record to 5’47”84. At the championships in Nantes on February 22nd and 23rd. 734 athletes took part, no less than nineteen of France’s best performances were achieved or improved.
Jean-Claude Deremy (national master’s commission) reports on the homepage of the French Athletics Federation (athle.fr), freely translated: “With every change of the age group, Jean-Louis Esnault is in the starting blocks. Because he knows that the more years go by, the more they count double or triple. On 19th January, Jean-Claude celebrated his 80th birthday. He came to Nantes with the intention to run 1.500m faster than 5’48”47, the M80 world record set by Canadian Ed Whitlock in 2011. The reward was victory in 5’47”84, a new world record. Still not satisfied, he then raced the 3000 m three hours later, with a time of 13’02”17, just six seconds behind the European record.” Jean-Claude, listed M75 European record holder 1.500m and 3.000m (see photo!), has registered for EMACI 2020 in Braga in the categories 400m, 800m, 1.500m, 3.000m and 5km cc M80.
Two other record holders, both registered for EMACI 2020, participated in Nantes with great success: Petra Bajeat (W50) and Nicole Alexis (W60).
Petra Bajeat dominated the 60m hurdles in 9”79 and was the only athlete of all to jump the 5m mark with 5.29m. Petra, W50 world record holder in long jump, high jump and pentathlon, intends to participate in the EMACI 2020 in Braga in her world record disciplines. Petra was awarded as female WMA 2019 Best Masters Athlete in the category Jumping.
Nicole Alexis (W60), won the French championship 60m and 200m titles in Nantes (9”00 and 29”66). Nicole is currently holding the world W55 60m and 200m indoor records. In Braga we can look forward to her 60m and 200m competitions, then in the age group W60.
Results: https://bases.athle.fr/asp.net/liste.aspx?frmbase=resultats&frmmode=1&frmespace=0&frmcompetition=238481
A.H