History-making French athletics coach Carraz dies aged 82

History-making French athletics coach Carraz dies aged 82

He formed a formidable partnership with sprinter Christophe Lemaitre.

Pierre Carraz coached Christophe Lemaitre (right) for free with their most memorable year coming in 2010. (AFP pic)
PARIS:
Pierre Carraz, who coached French sprinter Christophe Lemaitre to a historic treble of the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2010 European Championships, has died aged 82, the French Athletics Federation (FFA) announced.

“The FFA learned with great sadness the death aged 82 of Pierre Carraz,” tweeted the FFA.

“We salute the memory of a hugely talented coach, who most notably took Christophe Lemaitre to the highest level of the sport.”

Carraz coached Lemaitre for free and the two formed a formidable partnership with their most memorable year coming in 2010.

Lemaitre became the first white sprinter to go under the 10s mark in the 100m (9.98s) and then swept the European titles in Barcelona.

Aside from that Lemaitre also collected two Olympic bronze medals (4x100m relay in 2012 and 200m in 2016) as well as in the world championships 4x100m relay silver and 200m bronze in 2011.

Lemaitre, now aged 32, still has ambitions to bow out of the sport at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

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