Marie-Pierre Duros

Marie-Pierre Duros (born 7 June 1967) is a French former middle- and long-distance runner who specialised in the 3000 metres. Her personal best of 8:38.97 minutes for the event is a former French record, which lasted from 1989 to 1999. She was a two-time Olympian (1988 and 1992) and three times participant at the World Championships in Athletics (1987, 1991, 1995).

Her greatest achievement was a gold medal 1991 IAAF World Indoor Championships, where she became France's first champion of the competition's history. She also won medals in cross country running with the French women's team, taking bronze at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in 1988 and silver the following year. She was a six-time national champion: four times over 3000 m and once over 1500 metres and cross country.

Career

Early career Born in Saint-Brieuc, she competed in running competitions at a young age and won her first international medal at the 1985 European Athletics Junior Championships, taking the 1500 metres silver medal behind Ana Padurean (who won the world junior title a year later). She made her first impression at senior level two years later by winning the 3000 metres title at the French Athletics Championships – her run of 8:56.18 minutes was the first time a woman had dipped under nine minutes at the competition. Her senior global debut followed at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics a month later and she placed 14th overall in the event. She ended that year with a win at the Cross Du Figaro.

First senior medals Duros won her first senior medal at the 1988 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. In an Annette Sergent-led team, she helped the French women to the bronze team medals through her eleventh-place finish in the women's long race. On the track she repeated her win at the national championships and gained selection for France at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Her finish in the senior race at the 1989 IAAF World Cross Country Championships was lower than the previous year's (she ended in 32nd place), but a strong French team topped by world champion Sergent, Martine Fays and Maria Lelut took the silver medals in the team competition. Individual success came on the track as she came third in the 3000 m at the Athletissima meeting before going on to set a new French record of 8:38.97 minutes for the distance in Nice. This mark stood as the national record for nearly a decade and placed her third in the world rankings that year, behind Paula Ivan and Yvonne Murray. In addition to this, she had middle-distance success with a national title over 1500 m and a win over that distance at the European Cup "B" Final. This was her only appearance at the European event. She had a win at the Cross Du Figaro in December that year. Duros outran the competition and won the world indoor title for the 3000 m in an improved French indoor record time of 8:50.69 minutes. In the outdoor season she won the French title and also won at the DN Galan in Stockholm – her time of 8:40.76 minutes ranked her eighth globally that year. She failed to carry this form into the final at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics, however, coming last in the final by a margin of over 15 seconds. She had her third and final career win at the Cross Du Figaro at the end of the year. She won a fourth and final national title over 3000 m,

She is now married to fellow runner Pierre Toudret and supports younger athletes through UA Langueux, a local running club.

Personal bests 1500 metres – 4:10.14 min (1992) 3000 metres outdoor – 8:38.97 min (1989) 3000 metres indoor – 8:50.69 min (1991) 5000 metres – 16:48.66 min (1995)

National titles French Athletics Championships: 1500 metres: 1989 3000 metres: 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992 French Cross Country Championships: 1991

International competitions