More than 250 kilometers in 24 hours! The number is enough to make you dizzy. This is the performance achieved by the Garlanais Freddy Prigent, last Sunday in Albi (Tarn). Crowned French champion with 15 km ahead of Pau Jérôme Mirassou, the athlete from Léon Trégor Athlétisme won his first selection for the French team for the world championships in Taipei (Taiwan), on December 3.
From ultra-trail to 24 hours
It all started at the end of last year. After doing a lot of trails, Freddy Prigent wanted to test himself over 24 hours, a format that has nothing in common with an ultra, except for the duration. “Last year, I did quite well on the Grand Raid du Golfe du Morbihan, which is a fairly fast trail (3rd in 17 h 14′ for 175 km). It made me want to go for 24 hours. »
Freddy Prigent, who trains early in the morning before starting his working day in a bank, made a first test at the end of February, near Toulouse. His victory and his 232 km confirmed his choice. In April, he completed the 100 km from Brittany to Crevin (35) in 7h30′. And in Albi, he achieved the goal he had set himself. “I knew that the selection for the French team for the world championships was 250 km away. With 250.433 km, the athlete trained by James Doner fulfilled his contract after a perfectly managed race, despite the heat. “I didn’t catch fire at the start and I let go in front because it was up to 43 degrees. »
“It may only happen once in my life”
To reach 250 km, Freddy Prigent never stopped. Every three laps (4.5 km), he walked for a few seconds, enough time to drink and eat. It was his only pose. “To sit on a chair to leave then would have been too complicated”, assures the Finistère who estimates that a 24 hours is more difficult mentally than an ultra. “Every ten minutes, you go back to your chair. The 24 hours and the ultra are almost two different sports. »
Today, the French champion is totally focused on the Worlds. “It may only happen once in my life. The trail, I will leave it aside this year. »
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