Cassandre Beaugrand Breaks 22-Year French 5,000m Record at Nice Meeting

On May 20, 2026, Olympic triathlon champion Cassandre Beaugrand set a new French national record for the 5,000 meters at the athletics meeting in Nice, finishing in 14 minutes 40.77 seconds. This feat surpassed the long-standing record of 14:43 held by Margaret Maury since 2004. The remarkable achievement highlighted Beaugrand's successful shift towards focusing on athletics after a challenging recent triathlon season.

The race, held at Nice's Charles-Ehrmann stadium, featured a competitive field with elite international athletes including Kenyans Emmaculate Jepkosgei and Purity Chepkirui, as well as Burundian Francine Niyomukunzi. To aid in her record effort, Beaugrand ran with the assistance of a "wavelight" pacing system and high-level pacemakers targeting an even pace: 3,000 meters in 8 minutes 50 seconds, with that rhythm maintained to the finish.

Despite a recent virus that disrupted her training, Beaugrand's preparation under the guidance of her team and manager Julien Galland helped create optimal conditions for success. The evening turned into a memorable moment with strong crowd support, including encouragement from her father and presence of former marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe.

This record marks Beaugrand’s third national record this season after previously setting new French benchmarks in the 5 km and 10 km road distances. Following this success, she is weighing her options about participating in the upcoming European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. While she is near the qualifying time set by the French Athletics Federation and comfortably within the European Athletics limits, her triathlon schedule, including plans for the World Triathlon Championship Series in Alghero, Italy, complicates her athletic calendar.

Beaugrand expressed surprise and satisfaction with her performance and confirmed ongoing discussions with her coach to balance upcoming triathlon and athletics commitments. This record-breaking run is a significant milestone in her athletic career, demonstrating her versatility and elite endurance capability across multiple sports disciplines.