Christophe Lemaitre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Christophe Lemaitre

Lemaitre during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro
Personal information
Born	(1990-06-11) 11 June 1990 (age 35) Annecy, France
Height	1.90 m
Weight	82 kg
Sport
Country	France
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	100 metres, 200 m
Club	Athlétique Sport Aixois
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 9.92 (Albi 2011) 200 m: 19.80 NR (Daegu 2011)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  France Olympic Games Bronze 2012 London 4×100 m relay Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m World Championships Silver 2011 Daegu 4×100 m relay Bronze 2011 Daegu 200 m European Championships Gold 2010 Barcelona 100 m Gold 2010 Barcelona 200 m Gold 2010 Barcelona 4×100 m relay Gold 2012 Helsinki 100 m Silver 2014 Zürich 100 m Silver 2014 Zürich 200 m Bronze 2012 Helsinki 4×100 m relay Bronze 2014 Zürich 4×100 m relay European Indoor Championships Bronze 2011 Paris 60 m World Junior Championships Gold 2008 Bydgoszcz 200 m European Junior Championships Gold 2009 Novi Sad 100 m Representing Europe Continental Cup Gold 2010 Split 100 m Silver 2014 Marrakech 4×100 m relay

Christophe Lemaitre (born 11 June 1990) is a famous former French sprinter. He was known for racing in the 100-meter and 200-meter events. In 2010, he made history by becoming the first white athlete to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds. This is a very rare and impressive achievement in sprinting!

Lemaitre has run the 100m race in under 10 seconds seven times. He won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100m relay at the 2012 London Olympic Games. He also earned a bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.

When he was just 20 years old, Lemaitre won three gold medals at the 2010 European Athletics Championships. He won the 100m, 200m, and 4×100m relay races. He was the first French sprinter to achieve this amazing "triple win." He was also the fastest European sprinter in both the 100m and 200m in 2010.

Christophe Lemaitre's Career Highlights

How Christophe Lemaitre Started Running

Christophe Lemaitre grew up in Annecy, France. As a kid, he played many sports like handball, rugby, and football. His talent for sprinting was noticed when he was 15 years old. In 2005, he ran the fastest 50 meters in France for his age group.

A year later, at 16, he joined an athletics club in Aix-les-Bains. He quickly improved his 100m time to 10.96 seconds. By 2007, his best time was 10.53 seconds.

Early Success: 2008–2009

In 2008, Lemaitre improved his 100m personal best to 10.26 seconds. He won the 200m title at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics, finishing in 20.83 seconds.

The next year, at the 2009 European Athletics Junior Championships, he won a gold in the 100m. He set a new European junior record with a time of 10.04 seconds. Because of his great achievements in 2009, he won the European Athletics Rising Star of the Year Award.

Making History: 2010 European Champion

Lemaitre after winning his medals in Barcelona.

The year 2010 was huge for Christophe Lemaitre. He started the outdoor season with fast times. On July 9, 2010, he made history at the French National Championships in Valence. He ran the 100 meters in 9.98 seconds. This made him the first man of European descent to run under 10 seconds in the 100m. He also broke the French national record of 9.99 seconds.

Lemaitre said that breaking the 10-second barrier was his goal. He believed it was important to be among the world's best sprinters. He also said his achievement was about hard work, not skin color. The very next day, he equaled the French national record for the 200m with a time of 20.16 seconds.

At the 2010 European Athletics Championships, Lemaitre continued his winning streak. He won the gold medal in the 100m race. The next day, he became a double European champion by winning the 200m final. He then teamed up with Jimmy Vicaut, Pierre-Alexis Pessonneaux, and Martial Mbandjock in the 4 × 100m relay. They won gold, finishing ahead of Italy and Germany.

World Championships Medals: 2011

Lemaitre at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu.

In 2011, Lemaitre kept improving his national record for the 100m. He ran 9.96 seconds in June, then 9.95 seconds, and finally 9.92 seconds in July. This made him one of the fastest sprinters in the world.

At the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu, Lemaitre reached the 100m final and finished fourth. But his biggest success came in the 200m event. He won the bronze medal with an incredible time of 19.80 seconds. This was a new French national record, much faster than his previous best. He became the second-fastest European 200m sprinter ever. He was also the first white man to run both the 100m in under 10 seconds and the 200m in under 20 seconds.

The next day, Lemaitre and his teammates won a silver medal in the 4 x 100m relay. They finished second behind the Jamaican team, who set a new world record.

Olympic Glory: 2012 London and 2016 Rio

For the 2012 London Olympics, Lemaitre decided to focus on the 200m and the 4 × 100m relay. He finished sixth in the 200m final. In the 4 × 100m relay final, Lemaitre won his first Olympic medal. His team took the bronze medal behind Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

After a challenging 2015 season, Lemaitre prepared for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. He didn't reach the 100m final, but he did qualify for the 200m final. In a very close race, Lemaitre won the bronze medal in the 200m. He finished just 3 milliseconds ahead of Great Britain's Adam Gemili! This was a huge achievement, making him the first French athlete to win a medal in this event since 1960.

Later Career and Retirement

In 2017, Lemaitre competed in the 200m at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. He ran well but did not make it to the final. In 2018, he faced an injury to his right hamstring, which kept him from competing in the European Championships.

In 2019, he focused on the 4 x 100m relay at the 2019 World Athletics Championships. Unfortunately, his team had a problem during the race and did not finish.

Lemaitre struggled with injuries leading up to the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021). He also had a bad reaction to a COVID-19 vaccination. Because of these issues, he could not compete in the Olympics.

In June 2024, Christophe Lemaitre announced his retirement from athletics. He had a fantastic career, inspiring many young athletes.

Awards and Recognition

Christophe Lemaitre received many honors during his career. He won the 2010 men's European Athlete of the Year Trophy. He was also named the 2010 L'Équipe Champion of Champions by the French sports newspaper L'Équipe.

When he first ran under 10 seconds in the 100m in 2010, L'Équipe put him on their front page. This was a big deal, as the famous Tour de France cycling race was happening at the same time! In 2010, Lemaitre ran faster than some legendary sprinters did at his age.

Personal Bests

Here are Christophe Lemaitre's best times in different races:

Event	Time	Wind	Venue	Date
60 metres indoor	6.55		Aubière	13 February 2010
100 metres	9.92	+2.0 m/s	Albi	29 July 2011
200 metres	19.80 NR	+0.8 m/s	Daegu	3 September 2011
200 metres indoor	20.43		Aubière	28 February 2016

Key: NR = National record (meaning it was the fastest time ever recorded in France for that event)

Images for kids

• 

  The 100m final at the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona.

• 

  Christophe Lemaitre at the Meeting de Paris after winning his 200m bronze medal at the Rio Olympics.

See also

In Spanish: Christophe Lemaitre para niños