The revelation of the 37th MARATHON DES SABLES after the long stage, this Frenchman showed an amazing capacity to adapt to the race conditions of the Moroccan desert. Ranked fifth after the long stage, he was able to manage his lead on the marathon stage to keep his superb place
A middle-distance specialist when he was younger, the 35-year-old Frenchman put his athletics career on hold when he was 19 to devote himself to his medical studies: "I didn't have the time to train anymore, I couldn't manage everything and I never had the courage to come back to competition."
A dormant athlete until last April: "My partner Marianne had decided to register and she sent me a fake email on April 1, 2022. A fake email from the MDS organization with an invitation to the next edition!" Both surprised and intrigued by this idea, he thought it would be a great experience and they both decided to go for it and start their preparation. "From one day to the next, I programmed a very methodical training, getting back into shape and gradually building up to doing 200 km a week, even though I don't like running.
A few half-marathons, a Half MDS and he lined up at the start line of this MDS without really having any ambitions.
Will he return to the MDS? "Yes, I would like to share it with my brother who also runs." With this first successful experience, it will most certainly be necessary to count on Il Yass in the coming years to play the top 5.
