Athletics: a 50th edition between performances and history at the Nikaïa Meeting

The 2026 Nikaïa Meeting brought together outstanding performances to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The evening combined records, tributes and strong presence of committed athletes.

The 2026 Nikaïa Meeting drew a large crowd to the Charles‑Ehrmann Sports Park for an anniversary edition marked by solid performances and highlighting the history of the Nice event. The evening began with a tribute to Steve Cram, presented as the “first athlete to break a world record in Nice in 1985”. This sequence opened a program centered on middle-distance running, a discipline that has long defined the identity of the Nikaïa Meeting.

The men’s 1500m offered a sustained pace. Anis Chott took first place in 3’31”95 (PB), ahead of Paul Anselmini and Anas Lagtiy Chaoudar, both in 3’32. Seven athletes improved their marks with several personal records validated.

The women’s 5000m then brought two major benchmarks: 15’03”85 for Seniya Mohammed Bereka, a new Meeting record, and 15’04”26 for Parul Chaudhary, a new national record. The race was marked by an alternation of leading relays, then by gradual acceleration from the third kilometer onwards. The pack stretched quickly, leaving a trio in the lead before the final lap.

The men’s 800m followed the same dynamic. Louey Ouerrat finished in 1’43”80 (PB), ahead of Alex Botterill and Ramon Wipfli, also in personal records. The race was launched on a fast pace, with a first split in 50”50. The group then tightened before a strong push in the final 200 meters.

The men’s 3000m steeplechase saw the top six athletes set a new time reference, with a victory for Pierre Boudy in 8’18”65 (PB). The intermediate splits showed progressive risk-taking, with a compact group until two laps from the finish. The final straight created a clear gap, validated by a series of personal records.

Lively competitions and highlighting of circuit athletes

The competitions brought another tone to the evening. Men’s javelin was won by Benjamin East with a throw measured at 80.49m, his personal best. The anticipated duel between Thomas Röhler and Anderson Peters enlivened the first attempts, but the consistency of the Briton made the difference. Successive attempts showed gradual increase in intensity, with a first throw at 73.27m before a series of more committed attempts. The final throw confirmed victory with a mark above 80m.

The men’s pole vault competition brought together several European specialists, with a bar cleared at 5.35m for Justin Fournier, Matteo Oliveri and Valentin Lavillenie. The attempts showed different tactical choices, with clearances at certain heights and direct attempts on key bars.

Women’s events also punctuated the evening. The 800m was won by Léna Kandissounon in 2’01”03, ahead of Agnès Raharolahy and Jana Marie Becker. The 200m saw victory for Renée Regis in 23”73, in slightly unfavorable wind. The women’s Mile was dominated by Elsabeth Amare in 4’23”78, with consistent progression at each intermediate split.

The opening national evening highlighted young athletes, notably in junior women’s pole vault, where Moana Peyrard cleared 4.25m, her best performance of the season, before an attempt at 4.46m.

The 2026 edition highlighted the historical dimension of the Nikaïa Meeting. The tribute to Steve Cram recalled the place of the Nice event in the evolution of world middle-distance running. The presence of local clubs reinforced this anchoring, with several athletes competing in sprint, middle-distance and field events. This dynamic accompanied the celebration of the meeting’s 50th anniversary, driven by increased attendance and a dense program.

The 2026 Nikaïa Meeting thus combined performances, history and local dynamism. The anniversary edition confirmed the place of the Nice event in French and international athletics.