Pro Athlé Tour

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The Pro Athlé Tour (formerly the Alma Athlé Tour) is a series of the foremost annual outdoor track and field meetings in France. It is organised by the Ligue Nationale d’Athlétisme (LNA) and the Fédération française d'athlétisme. The series was sponsored by Groupe Lagardère from 2006 to 2008 and Alma Consulting Group held the title sponsor role in 2009 and 2010.

Track and field is a sport which includes athletic contests established on the skills of running, jumping, and throwing. The name is derived from the sport's typical venue: a stadium with an oval running track enclosing a grass field where the throwing and some of the jumping events take place. Track and field is categorized under the umbrella sport of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running, and race walking.

France Republic with mainland in Europe and numerous oversea territories

France, officially the French Republic, is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast, Switzerland and Italy to the east, and Andorra and Spain to the south. The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The country's 18 integral regions span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres (248,573 sq mi) and a total population of 67.3 million. France, a sovereign state, is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. Other major urban areas include Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille and Nice.

The meetings feature elite-level competition of both an international and national nature. The world best in the 2000 metres steeplechase was beaten twice on the 2010 tour, first by Bouabdellah Tahri and then by Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad. [1] [2] At the first meeting of the 2011 series, Christophe Lemaitre improved the French record in the 100 metres to 9.96 seconds in Montreuil. [3]

Steeplechase (athletics) obstacle race in athletics

The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing. The foremost version of the event is the 3000 metres steeplechase. The 2000 metres steeplechase is the next most common distance. The 1900 Olympics featured a 2500 metres steeplechase and a 4000 metres steeplechase, and a 2590 metres steeplechase was held at the 1904 Olympics. A 1000 metres steeplechase is occasionally used in youth athletics.

Bouabdellah Tahri French athlete

Bouabdallah "Bob" Tahri is a retired middle-distance and long-distance runner of Algerian descent, competing internationally for France. He competes mainly in the 3000 m steeplechase distance. He also competes in the 2000 m steeplechase, 1500 m, mile, 3000 m, 5000 m, 10000 m and cross-country running. He has won several medals at major international championships such as the World Championships, European Championships and the European Indoor Championships. Moreover, he has won medals in the European Cup, European Team Championships, IAAF World Cup, IAAF Continental Cup and the IAAF World Athletics Final.

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad French track and field athlete

Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is a French middle-distance runner of Algerian descent who mainly competes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. He has won medals in major international competitions such as the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships and European Indoor Championships.

The series currently comprises five meetings:

Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis Commune in Île-de-France, France

Montreuil is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 6.6 km (4.1 mi) from the center of Paris. It is the fourth most populous suburb of Paris. Montreuil is located near the Bois de Vincennes park.

Sotteville-lès-Rouen Commune in Normandy, France

Sotteville-lès-Rouen is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France.

Reims Subprefecture and commune in Grand Est, France

Reims, a city in the Grand Est region of France, lies 129 km (80 mi) east-northeast of Paris. The 2013 census recorded 182,592 inhabitants in the city of Reims proper, and 317,611 inhabitants in the metropolitan area. Its primary river, the Vesle, is a tributary of the Aisne.

A sixth meeting, the Meeting Lille Métropole, was previously part of the circuit but it was dropped for the 2011 series. [4] [5]

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Christophe Lemaitre French athlete

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References

  1. ↑ Vazel, Pierre-Jean (2010-06-26). Tahri runs 5:13.47 World best for 2000m Steeple. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-12.
  2. ↑ Vazel, Pierre-Jean (2010-07-01). 2000m Steeple World best falls again, this time to Mekhissi-Benabbad in Reims; Robles hurdles 13.09. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-12.
  3. ↑ Vazel, Pierre-Jean (2011-06-08). Tamgho and Lavillenie notch world leads in Montreuil, Blake edges Lemaitre in fast 100m. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-12.
  4. ↑ Le Pro Athlé Tour dans les starting-blocks ! (in French). FFA/LNA (2011-05-23). Retrieved on 2011-06-12.
  5. ↑ L’Alma Athlé Tour est né ! (in French). FFA (2009-04-27). Retrieved on 2011-06-12.
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